Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1894-07-20
FREE TRADE PLAGUE.
HAS ALREADY AFFECTED THE
VALUE OF SHEEP.
Farmer. Who Cling to Democratic Policy
Cling to Poverty-How Democratic Plat.
forms Contrast with Democratic Prom
isss-National League Republican Clubs.
The Lost sherp.

Inere are lOrCy.Sevcn Q16eront states
and Territories in the United States in
which the farmers look to their sheep
as q money crop to supply them with
cash for buying new implements and
tools for the improvement of their
stock, for paying off mortgages, and
for general comfort, and without mon
ey, scrimping, poverty and distress
take the part of comfort and coed
times.
Farmers know that sheep in this
country increase largely in numbers:
they look forward to the Landing sea-
son, because it adds to their ilocks, and
every little lamb that lives is worth
few dollars to the farmer. But there
must have been something the matter
with sheep between 1892 and 1894. III
the good old Mckinley protection days
there were n, 3 BIS sheep in the
United States, yet two years later
there were only 9l,430 nor sheep.
This is q very small percentage of
iambing. In the year 1898 the lambing
season must have been very bad, or
some plague must have struck the
sheep. Perhaps it va the free-trade
plague of Grover Cleveland which
struck every other part OF the country
and blasted business.
Whatever the trouble was the
American farmer will know and will
guard against it. He will prepare O
good remedy against u return Of the
disease. ana that remedy he wi ! rub in
we'll this fall before winter comes. The
farmer knows that each one of his
ch40yN Ss 0n - 90 H. ne 1~-1e ~ l~11--
less money now than it was in 1882. In
Mexico each sheep is worth less than
81 this year, vet we find the Demo-
cratic Senator's from Mississippi,
Texas, and Arkansas, not satisfied with
the present loss they have brought
upon the farmers, still wishing to en-
tirelv wipe out the sheep industry.
The constituents of these Senators
should leo into this matter.
The total money loss throughout al
the United States, through the lower
values of sheep ut the beginning of
this year, as compared with two years
ago, exceeded $25, 0OO, 900. There are
$751; 600 sheep farmers in the country,
SO that each farmer lost almost SOL
through the lower value of his sheep.
This does not include the lower price
that he received for his wool. in all
the New England States there was q
loss of l1O,5CO sheep this year as COM
pared with 1892; in all the Southern
States there was q loss Of 250,OOO sheep
and in the Western States the sheep
farmers had $4,000 fewer sheep than
they had under Mckinley protection.
How was this for q lambing season?
As stated, the total amount of money
lost through the lower per cent. OF all
our sheep exceeded $25,0OO,Oc0. In
New England the farmers LOST 8 ,900.-
600; in the Middle States they lost al
most $sOO,OOO: in the Southern States
they lost $4,7GO, 900; in the Pacific
States they lost $~l,4.7.l0O: and in
other States and territories farmers
lost more than s4,LOO,O0O. This free
trade that has got among the sheep is
worse than the scab or foot rot, and it
will take a strong remedy to wipe it
out. Farmers must be prepared, and
mix up a good, strong old sheep wash
and have it ready to rub hard into the
Democratic party on the first Tuesday
of next November. When the Demo-
Gratis are wiped out of office, then the
farmers sheep will be worth more
money t. him.-Chas. r. auckland.