The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-12-11
SUSPICIOUS OF DEMOCRATS
UINTAH COUNTY sHEEPMEN IN
AUGURATE A BOYCOTT.
They Fear Their Own Shadows and,
It Is Believed, Intend Dragging
Politics Into Business.
lsnecial corresnondence.l


Vernal. Dec 1.-THE sheepmen of this
section are considerably agitated over the
possibility of the new county commission
ers, following in the footsteps of other
county courts in certain localities, in the
matter of imposing grazing tax on
sheep
The impression has gone out among the
sheepoWnerS that the two Democratic
| members of the board have expressed an
opinion that they were in favor of i'm
posing the tax at the earliest opportunity,
and furthermore. that tney had recently
gently to persuade him to act with them
in the matter.
Laboring under this impression, the
flockmasters held council of war, and
decided to fight the matter from the
start to the hnish. A conclusion was
reached to contest the election OF james
member from Green River, whose ma
pority over Hooking (Republican1 was
but one vote. Hooking, who is known
to be very favorable to the sheep indus
try, having but recently gone out of the
business himself, was several votes ahead
of Mckee until the returns from Henry S
Fork We're received, which changed The
! result to Just one majority for the DEM
ocratic nominee.
The sheepmen now assert that they will
contest the Henry's Fork vote on the
ground of irregularity In the setting apart
! it IS the real intent of tho new board to
intlict what they term such an outrage
upon the sheepowners of the county.
Two prominent fiockmasterS of the
county were at the court house yesterday
| Investigating matters preparatory to the
Inauguration Of a movement which they
seemed very confident would give them
| the control of the county court.
| While busily engaged looking over the
records Commissioner Mckee
dropped in, and an animated conversation
| followed over the position of the Demo-
| cratic members on the tax question dur
! ing which the fact developed that no
statement had been made as to the inten-
| lions of the Democratic members in the
matter, and Furthermore. that the matter
! had not even been broached to Allen, the
| Republican member.
! The irate Sheepmen departed In q cooler
! frame OF mind, but avoWing that, should
| they at any time become convinced that
| there was any likelihood OF the grazing
! tax being levied thar they would take
! steps 10 contest every inch OF ground.
prominent sheepman was asked today
| what the effect would be should the law
! be held TO be constitutional by the SUI
! preme court when called upon to pass
upon the matter.
He replied that, no doubt, other conn
! ties would follow the LEAD OF those that
! have already imposed the tax, which
would drive the sheep into the free range
/ counties, which would, in turn, eyentC-
I any impose the tax as a matter OF pro-
! lection against overcrowdtng the range.
When this point is reached" he con
| submitting to the rantest kind OF class
! legislation or getting out OF the state, and
! it is dollars to dimes that nine out OF
| ten sheepmen will choose the latter
! course as there is a better range and a
more friendly feeling for the industry
over in the neighboring state of Wyom-
| ing and Utah will witness the departure
! of her focks which today is one of her
| greatest sources OF revenue"
John G. Davis, who was reelected as
commissioner. was seen today and from
| OF is
! the opinion that there would be no
necessity of the boards taking any steps
in the matter, as the time would. in his
opinion, come when the hockmasters
would petition the court that the tax be
| imposed, as a matter of sei-protection
The sheepmen are still very sore over
{ the defeat of the Republican Fcket at the
| recent election, and are very suspicious
| of the Democrats.
Threats were made Immediately after
the election that there would be a boy
against all Democrats. and that none but
Republicans need apply for employment
or expect to handle a dollar of WOO
| money where it was known that per
son had voted the Democratic ticket.
1t was thought at the time that thi:
was due to the bitterness of defeat, anC
that the feeling would soon pass away
but it seems that such is not the case
for only &. day or two since a sheepmal
was negotiating for several tons of hay
but before making the final purchase ht
/ Qu6SIlOIlSQ Tic SSiISl DIS " HIS pOl+lASS
and on learning that ne was a Democrat
he refused to deal any further. stating
that he would buy no hay from any bu
those who voted the Republican ticket.
The recent action of the quartermaste
at Fort Duchesne in throwing the Woo
contract on the open market has resulted
in a rush of wood to the post. The con
tract price of the wood was So for pin,
and $3.50 for cedar The price paid sine,
the contract has been declared open il
50 for pine and s. for cedar. Harder
Bennion contracted to deliver the pin
and .Lycurgus johnson the cedar. Boil
gentlemen are merchants of Vernal.
Charles McMann came over from thu
Bromide mine yesterday and brough
with him q bar of copper bullion, one o
the first results of the recently erected
smelter
McMann reports that everything i
moving along smoothly. There was SOM
trouble at first in getting the right kim
of iron for fluxing, but that the difficult!
has been overcome. and that matter
were now in shape to move along with
out any further delay.