The semi-weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1890-1891, 1890-06-04
WOOL GROWING.
10 writing of meat and wool the

railways and their branches, the killing
oil of the vast herds of buffaloes, and the
gradual pacification Of the Indians made
available for the breeding of cattle and
sheep u million square miles of high, dry
plains. 1t the production of meat has
outrun consumption and the value for
meat purposes of cattle in the eastern
states has been lessened it is because of
the enormous number of animals reared
at comparatively small expense on the
cheap lands west of the Missouri and be-
cause of the existence of railroad facili-
ties for marketing the stock.
This is a candid admission of the Oh
vious fact that the production of meat
has moved westward with the "course of
empire" OF which Berkeley wrote so
prophetically. The term "high, dry
plains" is, however, too sweeping. Cattle
cannot live on such "plains." They
thrive on Montana and Wyoming ranges,
which are watered by great rivers or
mountain streams. But let that pass. 1t
appears that wool growing has also gone
west. The Tribune says:
Long before cattle we're raised in Mon
Il or Wyoming or in Texas sheep hus-
bandry had been carried on in New Mex
leo and other Spanish provinces, and
clumsy ox-teams had dragged the wool
800 or 700 miles over the Santa Fe trail
built in the southwest after the wal slim
ulated wool growing in a section which
is specially adapted for the purpose
,rbara tho I,1, COL ,rl ,,,.1on, ,,to
are specially suited for the animal, and
where Mexican sheep herders can be had
for half what labor costs in the eastern
states. There and in the dry, mild eli
mate of California, Oregon and Washing
ton is the natural American home of the
sheep and there they have gone, not be-
II of a tariff but by virtue of an mex
orable law of fitness.
The Tribune should have included
Montana in speaking of the natural
home of the sheep" The Merinos which
Paris Gibson, Henry Macdonald and
others introduced here have increased
and multiplied until they produce about
100000 pounds of wool which is adj
mitted to be the best range wool grown
in the United States. The climate, water
and grass of Montana are all we'll adapted
for sheep which retain here the good
qualities inherited from their Vermont
ancestry. The Tribune adds:
In 1868 the total production of wool in
this country was almost 100000 900 lbs.
OF that not oyer 30,0O0,OOO pound
cam from west Of the hundredth
meridian. In 1880 out of 24O,-
pounds 100000 came from the
west Of that line. At present half of the
wool grown in this country must come
from there. Hence'lt appears that natur-
al causes have stimulated the production
Of wool IN n section and depressed it
la another. Make the duty on wool
times what it Is and the cheaper
of production IN the dry, winterless
will make the seat Of that indus
try, and will not revivify it in the snowy,
rainy, arabic regions. Ram-breeders like
Delana, Harpster and Lawrence of Ohio
expect this. They do not imagine that
an increased number of sheep will be
raised east of the Mississippi for the ir
wool If the Mckinley bill passes, They
anticipate that the only ones raised in
hat section will be blooded male animals
or sale to the fockmasters of Texas and
New Mexico and the dry, warm regions
% keep and improve the quality of their
'heep.
The TRIBUNE comes to the conclusion
hat whatever congress may do the wool
industry of the east has seen its ''best
lays" We cite these admission not to
liscuss the wool duty, which is the purpose
If the Chicago Tribune, but to have our
people bear in mind that the east and
middle west concede that the country
'ill h%enceforth look to the far west for
lost of its wool. Great inroads have
eoH maue On tie Montaua ranges but; - !
196,OOO,OOO acres that form our i'm
erial domain there are some million
cres on which sheep may be raised with
for wool aud mutton. The coun-
now consumes 400, 100000 pounds of
DOL of which 1856, 900, 900 are domestic {
nd ~115,0OO,0OO imported. Montana {
lould raise more than 1O,OOO,OOO pounds {
a staple that is SO much in request. !
o business is more secure or profitable. Z