Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-04-04
THE CATTLE CONVENTION.

The stockmen have not been able to do
anything regarding the organization OF
associations for mutual protection against
the depredations of cattle and horse
thieves, nor for any other purpose. The
trouble has arisen out of the fact that
there were two factions and both We're
hostile the one to the other. The thing
which seems to have originally divided
them was the matter of leasing the pub
lie domain, although there never was any
chance of Congress passing any act
whereby the leasing could be done. The
party headed by Mr. Faust was against
the leasing and the one headed by Mr..
Jennings was in favor of it, and had gone
so far as to incorporate the theory into its
constitution and bylaws, and at first IN
sisted that its organization should be
adopted as a Territorial one. This Mr..
Faust and his party refused to do, and as
a consequence nothing has been done
and those who came to the city from the
country and their ranches have been
greatly disgusted and had their time and
money wasted. Many who came here
strangers have felt that they would be
putting themselves forward if they were
to give expression to their views and so
withheld them, and in place of having
listened to any views from any one they
have been entertained with wrangles and
expressions of personal spite from those
who should have known something about
stock interests. But this is not the worst.
Last fall the. various railroads extended
to the stockmen of Utah courtesies that
were almost princely, and with two con-
ventions sitting for three days not single
man has moved a vote of thanks to the
railroads, and from only one man have
we heard that it was due as we'll from APP
probation as from self-respect. VIII the
railroads he so anxious to again extend
courtesies 10 men who do not even ac-
knowledge them? And will the stockmen
get the same terms for transportation that
would have been given them had the sim
pie civilities of everyday life been OBJ
served? But these are things which
directly affect stock raisers, and indirect
ly affect the whole Territory Stock in
terests in Utah can be made much greater
than they now are and will add greatly to
our wealth, although we can never hope
to rival the vast pampas OF Texas or the
plains of Wyoming. While we can not
do this, yet such associations as have
been proposed would further a great in
dustry; and by the intere st whichevery
cattle raiser would have in the cat
tie and horses of all members of the as
sociatiOns, all would be much more pro-
tected than they now are. There is some
thing to be gained also in the formation
of these associations from the rivalry
there would be in each member striving
to surpass his friends in the raising of
finer stock than they, and there would be
an interchange of ideas as to what breeds
were best adapted to our ranges,
and the most approved manner
of handling and rearing stock If founded, |
they should be to live stock improvement
what the guilds of the Middle Ages were
to manufacturers. Probably the greatest
present benefit would be in the suppress
sion Of thieving, or at least in greatly les
sening it, which heretofore has been the
most active part of the business and the
one that must first of all be done away
with to begin any other improvement. 1t
IS to be hoped that something will be done
IN the matter
Since writing the above the party
headed by Mr.. Faust has organized in
OF the other, and this really
caves things as they were. The exist
ence of two organizations for this one OBJ
ect is to be regretted