The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1884-01-02

expected OF them.
1t is the belief of the writer that there
is no business in the country paying 80
per cent. that is safer than wool growing
in Montana when it is conducted with
the expectation of making that return.
The failures, / believe it can be shown,
have been either through gross misman-
ageme2t or the effort to make upwards
of so per cent. per annum upon the
investment. Some years when we have
fine Winters-for the business as now
conducted depends for it's success very
largely upon the weati1er-upwards of
40 per cent. may be made, while other
years with we're winters will take off
the old ewes and late lambs, reducing
the percentage to half the above amount,
or even much less than that.
The tendency among wool growers
here is now unquestionably to the doing
of a SAFE business by taking additional
precauti ons against severe weather and
disease, expecting thereby in the end, if
not Immediately, a better return. There
are 90 few, however, who still say that
when they have to put u ) hay ard build
sheds for their sheep they are ready to
go out of the business-that they can
better afford to lese a band of sheep once
in four or five years than to do those
things. 1t is the marvellous per centages
made by those men some years that give
birth to the famous yarns SO often re-
peated concerning the vonderful profits
in sheep raising; it is their years of large
or total losses that makes the business
appear SO very uncertain. Does any one
believe that in the long run they can
make as much as he who makes large
OUTLAWS, does a safe business, and con-
tents himself with a comparatively small
return.
We would simply say this to those
expecting to invest here in sheep, be
satisfied with a reasonable return, and
do not expect to double your capital
every two years if you do 1ot thoroughly
understand TIE risk at which it is,done.
Montana ,yool is unquestionably the
favorite territorial or range-prodnced
wo6f gov thrbwn upon the market;
there are I climatic conditions which
make itslaight and strong, and range
conditions that keep it free from troub-
lesome burs and sand or dirt. And if
we do say SO, ''as ought not to-" per-
haps, there are a set of intelligent and
progressive wool growers established
here, and coming among us, who will
see that everything is done that can be
done to keep up and advance its good
reputation.
A few words in regard to the relation
of the general public to the sheep bust
ness may not be amiss.
The sheep to a larger extent than any
other animal is the friend of man. What
the buffalo has been to the Indian,
namely, his food and shelter, the sheep
has been and is to the white man. The
most healthy meat he can eat, and by
far the most desirable and useful cloth
ing he can wear is furnished by this
animal. Through a wise policy of our
nation this industry has attained it's
present gigantic proportions in this
country. The most prosperous nation
in the world through a protection of its
industries feeds and clothes itself. Sheep
has grown up with us under
system. How can any one doubt
that the millions of wealth it has created
here, and is circulating yearly among
hundreds of thousands of farmers and
manufacturers, and through them to
every citizen of the republic, has been
bought. How can any one doubt
that it was eve or is now best that this
really immense matter Of wool produc-
ton should be given over to the stranger,
and that we should be left to the mercy
of the foreigner. Tt is the duty of the
tens of thousands of wool growers in
this country to watch with diligence the
acts Of parties and of their chosen rep
resentatives in regard to a wise regula-
ton of the tariff. It is also the duty of
every citizen to weigh well the ques-
tons, as all are indirectly interested, of
tariff and free trade. Shall we be self
supporting, self-containing, free and a
people, or shall we tie both
hands and feet by placing ourselves at
the mercy Of foreign nations? What
industry is more conducive to this indie
pendence, and hence deserves the foster
ing care of all our people more than that
one which SO directly feeds and clothes
US? There certainly is no industry in
every one is SO directly interested,
and which they should more closely