Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1893-09-14
$50 was reasonable compensation
| for har6arS was naSsad


| for herders was passed.
At 8 p. m. the convention adjourned
to accept Supt. Dickinson s invitation
to ride to the dam on the electric
road.
1t was $50 p. m. before the wool
growers got together for the evening
session after an enjoy able trip to the
dam and a visit to the Royal Touring
mill.
The question OF the rate of wages to
be paid farm hands was considered
Henry Nelson moved that their wages
be placed at from $50 to S25 per
month. Ingram objected, but the
motion, which was in the nature of "a
resolution, was carried almost upani-
mosly.
"How much is a reasonable COM
pensation tor the shearers?" was the
next subject up for consideration. n.
L. Porter moved that the scale be 5
cents and board, or z cents without
board. Nelson thought the margin
too much and proposed and cents.
Col. Rice said it cost more in Montana
than Washington for living, and if
the price paid here looked low the
shearers might give us the go-by, so
he suggested 9 and cents, as the
prices to be paid next year Carried.
Subject number three, profitable
breeding" was passed as being a trifle
| too broad to wade into so late in the
day.
"Handling and marketing WOOL"
topic number four, was then consid
cred, Paris Gibson speaking first. He
said the woolgrowers OF Montana had
never adopted the best plan for get
i tino ha haot t,rioa For thai,- xynnI He
didn't believe in consigning to eastern
houses; it gave the consignee the ad-
vantage. The woolgrower was en-
tirely at the mercy of the consignee
Montana woolmen were too easily
duped by the smooth solicitor. He
advocated a wool center, either Great
Falls, Billings or Benton, where a
large percentage of the clip could be
gathered for market as by that means
better prices would be secured.
| Henry Nelson and Senator Folsom
also spoke on the same subject and
made many suggestions in regard to
handling and marketing wool which
will prove of value to the sheepmen.
A vote of thanks was passed thank
ing Robert Vaughn, Paris Gibson, DIR.
Sweat, the street railway company,
the Royal Milling company, and the
citizens of Great Falls in general for
kindness shown the members of the
association.
j. E. Bower, E. G. Maclay, w. G.
Conrad, Paris Gibson and b. C. White
OF the special committee appointed to
draft a petition to congress reported
as follows:
The woolgrowers of Montana re-
spectfully petition your honorable
body that the duty on wool be not
reduced and if our petition be not
granted that any legislation tending
toward the reduction of duty be so
worded that the reduction shall not
take effect for two years after its
passage for the following reasons:
1. The prosperity of large portion
of the population of this state is en-
tirely dependent on the success OF the
woolgrowing industry.
, 2. This being a new country those
engaged in the industry have been
obliged to incur heavy expenses in
making suitable preparations to carry
, on the industry successfully. Many
parties are heavily in debt as a con-
, sequence and if a free wool bill be
. passed they will become bankrupt.
3. Owing to a geographical position
. conducting the business OF woolgrow-
ing in this state is much greater than
, in other countries where large num-
bers of sheep are cared for. Sheds for
! shelter and hay for feeding have to be
, provided at great expense; the rate oi
wages is higher and transportation to
seaboard markets greater than in
| South America and Australia.
A. The industry if given the same
q consideration in the future as in the
past can produce an unlimited guam
, tity OF the best wool raised in tn,
world within the next few years and
D dustry prostrated by any suddeI
h legislative action.
The petition was adopted unani
mously.
8 The following. to be sent by tn
= board of trade, was accepted by tn
y associations:
We, the Board of Trade of the cit,
70 of Great Falls, Montana, would re
II spectfully state that we have jus
d passed the most disastrous depression
Ie that our country has ever known
Is that our mines are nearly all shu
h down, throwing the greater part c
ii our population out of business an
E. employment and that about all "
e, have left Is our live stock interest
er and that we are satisfied that OWN
b. to the long. severe winter that th
n woolgrowers cannot produce wool an
20 mutton in competition with free WOO