, 1889-04-02

ton has been widely discussed and care
fully considered. The opinion of a ma
jority of our members present, so far as
it can be ascertained, seems to be in favor
of keeping up our organization, in one
form or another. In the opinion of such
members it would be unwise to let our or
ganization fall to pieces at this time. The
time may come when the association will
have no legitimate functions to. perform,
but it will scarcely come as long as we
have any common interests to protect,
Last years experience seems to point to
the wisdom of maintaining an organIza-
ton of some kind. In the very first month
of the existence of the board of live stock
commissioners the association found itself
in a position to do good work by standing
behind the board with ready money; and
again in July, 1888, in the very busiest
part of the shipping season, when inspec-
ton was most necessary, we were able by
actively assisting in the organization of
the special inspection committee, to pre-
vent the discontinuance of inspection at
st. Paul, South Omaha and Chicago. and
avoid the evil results that would ~inevita-
bly, have followed such an occurrence.
Although the special inspection commit
tee was established as an independent en-
terprise, it had its inception in your ex-
ecutive committee, and in all of its opera
lions it worked in accordance with the
system already established by the associa-
tiou for inspection work. The special in
spectlon committee found faithful off
Gals to undertake the work without a
days delay-men whose training and ex-
perience had been obtained in the service
of the association. The great secret of
the success of this independent move
ment, aside from the earnest and careful
manner in which the work was performed
by the committee in charge, was the mot
to chosen by the ~originatOrs of the scheme
short in itself, but embodying a very
sound business principle, namely: mo
money; no inspection" Many of our
members who were at the time delinquent
in their assessments to the association
promptly paid their contributions
to the special inspection fund
on hearing the conditions upon
which alone they might hope
to benefit by the inspection which was to
be carried on under the new regime. 1t
would be well to consider in this connec-
ton whether some such underlying prin-
ciple cannot be made the foundation for
the reorganization of our association,
should such reorganization be deemed ad-
visable.
There is much yet to be done to our
stock laws, especially in the nature of
radical amendments to the live stock
commission law, before the stock growers
of the territory can feel that they have
received due consideration at the hands of
their representatives in the legislature.
The enactment of the law creating the
board of commissioners was i'll itself a
step in the right direction, but until by
supplementary legislation Ito be dictated
by actual experience) the present law
shall AVE been so amended as to render
the board of live stock commissioners an
efficient body. we shall not reap any prac-
teal benefits from the existence of such a
board. The commissioners should be
provided with a fund in addition to that
derived from the sale of mavericks, which
should be large enough to really protect
the interests of the stock growers of the
territory.
We know from the experience of Mon
tana and Colorado that a board of live
stock commissioners may be made a use
full instrument for the protection of stock
growers, and that such boards can, under
certain conditions, work tremendously
with stock growers associations such as
exist in the localities above named.
The careful consideration OF timely pre-
paration of such laws and amendments as
may be deemed necessary for the better
promotion of our stock interests, is one
of the legitimate departments of the gem
eral work OF this association, and it would
seem proper that a committee from this
association should be appointed at this
time, whose duty it shall be to cooperate
with the board OF live stock commission
ers, and to assist them in carrying out the
provisions OF the law which makes it the
duty of said board ito recommend from
time to time such legislation as will, in
their Judgment, foster the live stock in
dustry Of the territory.
The depressed financial coddition of
the association rendered it necessary to
call a special meeting in September last,
but the responce to the call issued by the
secretary was so disappointing hat the
meeting adjourned to November 8, 1888.
At this latter meeting there was a larger
attendance, every section of the range
country being fairly represented. The
meeting lasted during the greater part of
two days, and many matters of import
ance affecting the welfare of the associa-
ton were discussed. The most important
step taken was the adoption of the report
of a committee appointed to revise the
by laws.
In June, 1885. the association leased
from Organ & Phillips and from the
Wyoming Meat company a large tract of
land upon which quarantine yards were
built. On account of the neglect of the
association attorney the validity of the
associations ten years lease of the land
was questioned. A compromise was
made and the association has obtained
free of charge the lease of a large portion
OF the yards for eighteen months from
March /, 1889. The Accommodations are
fully adequate for the present. Changes
in the methods of inspecting cattle from
the south will be referred to more
specifically in the report of the territorial
veterinarian. There should be a law pro-
viding for quarantine Accommodations at
this point and at such other points as in
dieated by the judgment of the veteri
marian.
Nearly 81, 700 paid into the stock in
demnitv fund" by stockmen OF the ter
ritory lies idle in the territorial treasury.
This sum is too small to pay for any num-
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