The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1890-03-22
MISSOURI WOOL.
ReckIessness ON the Part OF ths
President of the AsEooiations

To the Editor Of the RepuGlic:--
Referring to the report from
from Washington in your recent issue
anent the secret conclave OF wool grow
ers and woollen manufacturers Ia that
city, q few words respecting the Geo.
II. Wallace therein mentioned may not
be out Of place. Mr.. Wallace 10 there
ostensibly as the representative OF the
wool growers OF Missouri. Let me tell
Won how far this is from being the
truth. At the time that Mr.. Wallace
wss elected president Of tho Missouri
Association II was reported from the
Office of the state auditor that there
were more than 60, ,0O0 men In the state
owning and raising sheep. y. that
vast number there were not 90 pres> nt
to elect him to Office, nor were there b.
members present on the roll OF the as
sociation. AT the last meeting OF the
association, now two years ago, when
he was last elected president, there
were not ~ members present nor 20 on
the roll of membership. ] question IL
there were five members there to elect
a member of the National Wool Grow
ers' association. was present, az was
also representative of the Kan ,as
City Live Stock Indicator. and all told
there were only seven, Just about
enough to elect the officers. That 10
the kind of representative man Mr..
Wallace Is. He never owned q sheep
worth $5 and knows vastly more about
keeping books for an iron foundry In
Ohio than keeping sheep on a Missouri
farm.
He has scandalized, vilified and libel
ed the state OF Missouri and the sheep
breeders thereof In his testimony given
before the committee in Washington In
saying that whilst our blue grass pas
iure lands were worth from $50 TO $40
an acre they would support but one
sheep to the acre, and the fleece OF that
worth only 81 so. 1t Is an impertinent
and villanous lie, and Geo. Ii. Wallace
knows II to be 30 II he knows anything
about sheep farming In Mis- souri, which
is very doubtful. II you will refer to
q. B. Boutwell,, of Caldwell county ,one
OF the Oldest breeders in the state, and
certainly the largest and most success
ful. he will tell you that his blue grass
pastures will support from five to seven
sheep to the acre, sn that their feeces
will average over 10 pounds of 6ne
Merino wool.
This being true, and youch for its
being so, he raises from so to 20 pounds
Of wool to the acre, and any man who
knows the market value OF thst class
Of wool can readily figure out the pro-
ductive value of our Missouri lands.
Ii is true the wool-growing industry
has been at q low point for several
years past, but 1t is also and equally
true that the men who have intelligent.
ly stuck to Il have made money In the
end. 1t is also true that many aban-
doned the business for two or three
years. many selling their sheep for
their pelts; but their conduct proves
nothing but their own timidity, tor
without any change In the law, or any
positive assurance OF q change, thoss
same men are now back In the WOOL
growing business and had to pay dear
ly for their folly. No, mol George
Wallace represents nobody but himself,
and wouldn't do that but for the fact
that Melbourne was In sight.
GEO. LoNaMAN.