Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1899-05-12
GOOD PROFIT IN SHEEP.
An Industry for Which North Dakota Possesses Wonderful NAT.
ural Advantages-Present Protection Policy Favorable
tothe Sheep Raising Business.
THE SLEEPS FOOT IS GOLDEN,
In tbs Way of Diversifcation Nothing Can Be Productive of
SO Much Good to the Farm or Profit to the Farmer
As a Good Flock of Sheep.

The latest available returns place
the number Of sheep in North Dakota
at o 315,OOO. South Dakota and
Minnesota have each about the same
number. Montana is one of the lead
Ing states Of the Union in her stock
interests, and has about 100000
sheep. Only Texas and Ohio a rival
Montana in sheep.
The wool industry of North Dakota,
while comparatively small, is by no
means to be despised. The natural de-
velopment Of the principle of DIVERSE
Tying, Is certain to have a favorable
effect on the number of sheep raised
In the eastern part Of the state, while
there are few sections of the country
mere suited for sheep raising than the
western, or grazing district Of North
Dakota.
A strong argument In favor Of the
sure Increase in sheep is the protection
policy of the present party in control
Of the government. The tariff on this
matter is apt to be higher before it is
lower, as there has been some COM
plant that the present tariff has not
been so %eficacious in bringing higher
prices for wool as had been anticipat.
ed. While this is true, it is certain
that, as it is, no wool grower would
care to substitute the old days Of free
wool, under the Wilson tariff, when
growers sometimes had difficulty in
getting the freight advanced on their
wool, for the conditions under the
Dingley tariff, even If they are not so
satisfactory as had been hoped.
So naturally profitable is the bust
ness of raising sheep, when conducted
with proper care, that even during the
depressing times Of free wool, men
who handled their business carefully
and economically made money out of
their sheep. Not only in almost every
kind Of commercial business, but in
agriculture rs we'll, conditions are be-
coming such that profits must be
looked for now out of what used to be
wasted. And because this is 90. it IL
not a safe conclusion that any particn
lar political policy OF administration
- responsible absolutely. Policies may
to some extent influence events, but
the whole force of human life Is sweep
Ing resistlessly on to the solution Of it's
great problem, and nothing can per-
manently alter its course. The whole
tendency Of modern industrialiSm is
toward the reduction of cost Of produc.
tion and elimination Of unnecessary
expense in delivering the finished prod
uct to the consumer. Agriculture has
not felt the force Of this movement SO
early, nor SO strongly, as the business
world, but it Is beginning to make it.
self felt, and the next fifty years will
Gee great changes in present methods.
It Is idle to try to stem the current.
Our fathers did not do things ~ we
do. Our children will say the same Of
Us.
The up-to-date farmer Is able to
make things count in his farm bust
ness in q manner that seems to be inn
possible to his slow-going neighbour.
In the way Of diversiication, hardly
anything can be mentioned which
should he productive of so much good
to the farm and profit to tho farmer as
q small, we'll selected flock Of sheep.
No meat is grown sweeter than good
mutton; no product can be more staple
than wool; sheep always leave the
soil more fertile than they found it,
and, indeed, as has been said, "the
sleeps foot is golden"
It is hardly to be expected that the
price Of wool will ever again perma-
nently reach the high point it has at
times touched. Conditions have radi-
cally changed, and not even protective
tariffs can wholly overcome these. 1t
Js not necessary for the price to reach
former high levels in order for the in
dustry to be fully as profitable. Condi-
tons have brought our flocks much
nearer to markets than formerly;
sheep raising can be conducted more
scientifically and with less loss than
formerly. Indeed. the man who allows
has much more purchasing value than
formerly. Indeed, tn man who allows
the distant recollection Of a certain
price to overcome his perception Of al
the circumstances which bear on mod
ern conditions, will be apt to be a seri-
GUS loser thereby.
There are many reasons why, under
the present tariff, prices for wool are
not what was expected. Previous to
the passage Of the act, the world knew
that the existing arrangement was to
be changed, and for a year or more,
and up to the very moment when the
bill became law, ships Of all nations,
loaded to the gunwales, 1ocked to our
shores with both raw wool and finished
goods.
The enormous quantities rushed into
the country, under the impression that
q large profit was certain, has been for
several years a depressing factor in the
market, and is so even yet. In addition
our domestic mills, anticipating an in
creased business where they had the
home market to themselves, crowded
on all steam and piled up goods in
enormous quantities. It Is unnecessa-
~ to state that nearly all these roseate
prospects came to grief.
During years of depression, the peo-
pie had learned to wear less clothing.
Free wool and the free importation of
foreign shoddy goods, had accustomed
them to wear cheap clothing, and it
was found that not only had the mar
ket been glutted, but also, the people at
large, while expecting a tremendous
advance in the price Of their wool,
were unwilling to pay even a slight adj
vance on the price Of their clothing,
under the stress Of the competition Of
the immense stocks Of merchandise
brought into the country under free