St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-10-07
NORTH DAKOTA SHEPHERDS.

by the Way-SayS tilat tnere are ooJ,Uuu
sheep left there.
NORTH DAKOTA SHEPHERDS.
TWAS stated in newspaper para
graph lately that the tin-plate liar had
left this country and gone to China, and
was there engaged in writing up reports
of the conflicts between the Chinese
and japanese troops from the Chinese
point OF view. We are inclined
to think that this is mistake. and
that he got no further on his way 10
China than North Dakota, where he has
been engaged in sending specials to the
Chicago and other papers, III which he
calculates the enormous loss or the
farmers OF North Dakota Oh account OF
the placing of wool upon the free list.
We do not think that Senator Hans.
Urough is engaged in this laudable oc-
cupation. or that he is tbs person re-
ferred to. although his recent statement
that the number of sheep in North
Dakota had been reduced $50 per cent
under the Cleveland administration
certainly shows remarkable Qualifica-
tionS for a tin plate prevaricator.
Bat, whether il is Senator HanSbrough
or some pupil of his who is sending out
these specials, his versatility in down
right lying is not to be eXcelled.eve by
the reporters of Chinese news. His
latest effort is special to the Chicago
Inter Ocean, in which he says that 1.-THE
North Dakota farmers have lost in the
price of their wool 10 cents a pound
since the passage of the S0-called reform
tariff bill bv the Democratic party, by
which wool was placed on the free list"
That is TO say. since the 18th of August
there has been a decrease in the price
of North Dakota wool of 10 cents
pound. AS the price of wool at that
time was about 10 cents, or little be-
low, it follows that the North Dakota
farmers are either giving away their
wool for nothing or are giving some
body IA cent or two a pound to take it.
This only shows what versatile and
unreStrained liar the North Dakota
sheep StatiStician is. and how he has
improved in his capacity for prevari-
plate business.
An interesting contribution, by the
way, to the discussion of the sheep aid
wool industry in North Dakota is found
in Tie report of the secretary of agri-
culture for 1892. in which is given a
statement of the operations of Il class
Of people who were "pr0mOting' the
sheep industry in that state. This class,
it says, is composed of shrewd and sa-
gacious business men, who took advan-
tage of the active demand for sheep TO
employ their own means or borrow cap
ital to promote the extension of tine
industry and make large profits ON the
Investment. They found that they could
buy sheep quite low for cash in Montana
and other Western states if they were
not particular as to the class of sheep,
their age, quality or grade. These they
would put out among the farmers Oh
the halves. with the tight TO the return
of the original number of sheep, to be
selected by them from tho flock, the
| whole covered by cIt-throat chattel
mortgage to secure the contract.
Their profits, when sold for cash, were
so per cent, and when sold on time were
100 per cent on the net cost of the sheep,
with interest at from 10 to II per cent
per annum. The promoter took no risk,
and was sure of the bulk of the profits
while the flock master had to walt until
he was out OF debt, or until he could
realize something from the increase.
The report says that the promoters
were so successful in their business.
realizing large profits i'll 1899 and 1871.
that their number increased. and almost
every county in the state was under
their operation. Banks, mortgage loan
companies and other capitalists became
interested in sheep speculatiGns.
$50 eager" the report goes on to
say, "weIe so many of the farmers to
get start, that they willingly paid ex-
OrbItant prices to the promoters and
spectators for their sheep, or sub
scribed without hesitancy 10 the various
conditions prescribed under the leases or
time payments. No doubt many of these
inequitable business transactions were
made by taking advantage of the mex
perienced, who were ready victims,
owing to the prevailing excitement
about sheep and the fabulous profits of
sheep husbandry, which on paper are
so apparent. and yet really SO decep-
tive"
1t gives an estimate prepared by one
of the promoters of the profits arising
from the sheep industry IN that state,
which shows, On an Investment in sheep
and care of S736. a return in one year OF
s1,9OS. The lowest estimate made of
profits was 100 per cent on the invest
ment. 1 his anxiety to make big profits
resulted in the purchase of cheap
sheep, culled generally from the West
| ern fiocks; and even if it be true. as the
correspondent states. that there ha 5
been decrease i'll the price Of sheep of
| 81 head. it is undoubtedly due to the
reaction from the speculative prices
ami to the inferior quality of the sheep
which were made the basis of the i'll
dustry in that state.