Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1894-04-26
Meeting Of stockmen.

The tenth annual meeting OF the
Montana Stockgrowers' association
was held in Miles City last week. The
attendance was somewhat larger than
usual. The report of Secretary Preu-
lit showed that the esssociation-pem-
bered 200 members in good standing
and that it was in better shape
financially than ever before i'm it's his
tory. The report also showed that
as a result of the work of the detec-
tives of the association, thirteen
stock thieves were now in the peni-
tentiary.
The wolf pest was the chief question
discussed by the association. The
committee having the matter in charge
reported that it had investigated the
subject and concluded that the loss
to the range industry by stock de-
stroying animals is greater each year
than the loss sustained by hard win
tiers. The csmmittee said it was con-
vinced that, in view of the fact that
the revenues of the state derived from
taxation at present assessed valua-
tion is inadequate to meet current
running expenses of the state, and
that in the light of the fact that reve-
nues will be further decreased during
the present year by reason OF the fact
that, in many counties of the state
the assessed valuation will be less this
year than that of last, it would be
futile to look to the state for relief.
The committee recommended that, in
their judgment, in the light OF all cir
cumst ances, the most feasible way OF
dealing with this matter is by dividing
the range country into districts, and
in each district an organization shall
be effected to manage and control this
matter in such district, the expenses
OF such organization to be paid by an
assessment levied upon the range
property in such district. the amount
OF bounty to be paid to be determined
by the district.
NJ. c. Connors of Custer made an
earnest talk for immediate and con-
certed action. He says his loss and
the loss of every other grower in the
communities afflicted with wolves was
25 per cent annually. He favored an
assessment on every grower OF or L o
per cent, to be used as a bounty for
wolf hunters.
LET us" he said, ''give the hunters
the state bounty, the hides and then
an additional bounty aggregating ST.
or S13, thus making it an object for
! them to hunt these stock destroyers,
and then we will get rid of them. 1t
will pay us to pay an assessment oi
10 per cent for this purpose"
The views of other growers were
given and finally the following resolu-
ton was adopted: Resolved, That
the members OF the Montana Stock
growers association pledge themselves
Individually and collectively to en-
ploy a man in each roundup during
the months of June, July, August,
September, October and November as
wolf poisoners; that these men be en-
ployed exclusively to poison wolves
and that they 60 with the roundup;
that their salary and the expenses be
pro rated among the stockmen in the
roundup district, and that in each
roundup district committee of three
be appointed to select men to do the
work, to oversee it, and to attend to
all the details necessary for the carry
ing out of this resolution. These vari
Gus committees are to report at the
next meeting the results of this plar