The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-03-26
Range Profits and Economy

A remark made by Governor Rodley,
short time ago to the effect that cat
tlemen of New Mexico had not cleared
over eight per cent. net on an average
during the past three years, has been
criticized by one or two paper pretend
ing to represent the stock interest of
this country, says the New Mexico
!StOckman. The StOckgrODer charged in
terms that if Governor Hodley's man
agement had not netted over eight per
cent, there had been very bad manage.
ment on the Palo Blanco range, and
claimed that it had submitted sched-
ule of Questions to thirty-six cattle own
ers, from whom it has received thirty
one replies, and that the average of
profits reported was about fifteen cents
not counting the increace; or in round
figures thirty per cent. of net profit.
When we first saw Governor Hodley's
estimate we were inclined to think he
had PLACED his figures too low, but after
careful consideration of the subject and
consultation with several of the most
economic and successful cattle raisers
IN this vicinity, we have become con-
WINGED that he is nearer right in his es-
Inmates than are those who criticised
him. Taking into consideration the
high prices paid for cattle in 1882, the
great losses from poverty and drought
in the early part of 1888, the continued
high prices for stock cattle of that year
and the two following years and the low
prices of beef cattle in 1885, we cannot
see where there has been any net profit
to the men who have invested their
money in this industry. Salaried man
ayers of great companies, who have
nothing of their own invested, may be
able to figure out balances on the right
hand side of their ledgers; and cattle
brokers who make their money in pur-
chases and sales, may be able to prove
to the uninitiated that there have been
large returns from the money invested
during the past three years, but the
practical rangemen give different &C
count
The days of Qrincely fortunes built
up in few years IN the cattle raising
business are past. A few years ago,
Mhen the great companies first entered
the range country and bought up the
cattle of individuals at whatever price
they had the conscience to ask, and
men who had never before thought
themselves rich suddenly found them
selves possessed of tens and hundreds
of thousands of dollars in some in
stances, the country went fairly wild
with excitement. Men sold fabulous
numbers of cattle on the range, giving
their tally sheets as vouchers for the
a.1IA n loo brrwr 60
find them if they could and we venture
the assertion that not over seventy-fye
per cent. of the number thus sold on
the range were ever found. Previous to
that time, the business of the range was
not attended to in systematic style, and
there we're very few who could tell what
their losses mad been during year or
| for any time. Losses were not taken
into account. The increase was always
noted and the sales taken into account,
but the dead carcasses found scattered
over the plains were losses not worth
while bothering about: and there have
been years when the losses from cold.
poverty and drought have been a very
large per cent. 1t is not 10 be wondered
at that when the capitalist came with
his money offering exorbitant figures
for range cattle, that men who cared to
sell would drive the best bargains that
could be made, and that they sold the
shrunken hides and bleached bones on
The prairies, for their tally lists showed
no inventory of dead animals. 4a
1t was then that the great profits in
cattle were realized but there have been
no such profits since, nor will there be
in this range country during the pre-
sent generation. .-
There is profit n cattle raising Ger
tainly; but that there is any such profit
as fifteen per cent, besides the increase,
we deny most emphatically, and we
base our assertion upon tee opinions of
some OF the most careful and economic
range managers in the fairest portion OF
New Mexico But to make any profit !
at all, beyond the natural increase. re-
quires close calculations and stringent
management. The old idea that Undue
ed many to embark in the business, that
cattle would run themselves. ,, is played
out. The free range and loose manage
ment is thing of the past, and instead,
the close financiering of the counting
room must be practiced. -tfl y a