The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-01-20
Protest from a Yellowstone Coun-
ty sheepman Against Lower
ing the Bounty.
WILL STAND MORE TAX.
To Keep the Coyote Bounty at So.
Good Reasons Given Against
Any Reduction.
Billings, Mont, Jan. 10. 1899.

Billings, Mont, Jan. 10. 1899.
To the Editor of The Billings Gazette
Sir: In the Montana Stockman an,
Farmer Of January l, is given wha
%purports to be q partial report OF tn
board Of livestock commissioners j,
relation to the bounty law. 1t is wei
known that the Montana board Of live
stock commissioners are, primarily
only cattle owners persons whose cap
ital is invested in other branches of thu
livestock industry receive little or NJ
consideration at the hands of the so
called livestock commissioners.
In nearly every instance the person
selected as a livestock commissioner
from each county in the state is a we'll
known cattleman, who is at all times
ready and willing to provide every
safeguard for the security and mainten'
ance of the cattle interests. This
united spirit Of preservation, when
coupled with due regard for the prop
erty and rights Of others, should be
commended. But when it emanates
from a desire to preserve and enhance
the property rights and prerogatives OF
one interest to the detriment OF
kindred interests, it should I've as
strongly condemned.
The bounty law is of vital import
ance to all classes of stock 1aisers ir
this state. The question having raised
as to how it should be impartially ap
piled to all the different stock interests,
I desire to express my views. l am
satisfied that the bounty law as now on
our statute books is fair and impartial
toward all branches of the stock inter.
ests. The contention that by putting
the bounty upon wolves at SIS and Of re-
ducing the bounty upon coyotes to 81, or
perhaps less, would be advantageous to
all owners of livestock, I emphatically
deny.
One reason for. my direct denial is
that the two pests do not naturally &C.
cupy the same character of country.
The wolves natural haunt is in ex.
tremely broken country and in low
mountain ranges, while the coyotes
natural haunt is on the open prairie.
It is true that they are often found in
the same locality, but the only object
that brings them into these close rela-
tions is the prevalence of animals upon
which to subsist. If the bounty law is
changed to correspond with the sugges-
tions Of the board of stock commission
ers, and a bounty Of SIS placed upon
wolves and only 81 placed upon coy
otes, there is but mi natural and GER
tain result. The wolfers will immedi
ately confine their operations exclusive
" to the well-known haunts of the
gray wolf, along the breaks near the
rivers, along the mountain ranges and
among the "bad lands" to the exclu-
sion, detriment and injustice of stock
owners whose stock is being ranged and
herded upon the prairie ranges. the
natural haunts Of the coyote.
The claim made by some newspapers
that the stock interests derive no
material benefit from the vas sums
paid out annually as bounty on coy
otes-isf false. The coyote is as::destruc-
tive to the stock interests of the state
as is the wolf, and in my opinion the
few mills assessed on stock for prctec-
tive purposes is by far the cheapest tax
the stockmen are called upon to pay.
l am aware that the cattlemen are
composed of the more aggressive class
Of stockmen having stock interests in
this state, and in order hat the other
stock interests may be impartially dealt
with in the matter Of protection against
the ravages of wild animals, a petition
has been drawn up and is being circu-
lated and generally signed by owners
Of cattle, horses and sheep, and will be
presented to the legislative assembly
setting forth:
That they favor the present bounty
Of So on coyotes.
That they favor the increasing Of the
bounty on gray wolves to S..
Also, that a sufficient additional as
sessment be levied upon the livestock
interests to insure a full payment of
the bounty of cash value.
The question of fraud perpetrated
upon the different county officials in re-
lation to bounty claims. as the law nov
IL, needs very little discussion. But,
deny the bounty upon coyotes and raise
the bounty upon wolves, and you at
once open the doors to fraud and i'm
position. Many coyotes while living
will be sworn to as wolves when dead.
Skins OF coyote pups will be sworn to
- wolf whelps. and ~ having been
killed In . wolf den. Unless the skins
At the very young coyote or wolf with
tho fest attached are exhibited, II il
wellnigh impossible 70 distinguish be.
tween the coyote and the wolf.
e The suggestions and recommends.
tions q The stock commissioner are 70
pgsvaal. ] snhmit that . rank injustice
will b done 70 The sheep indussSy Of
cur state. and noa 10 shsepmsn alone,
but to eatole ard horse owners wAhsss~ss
stock raaGe npon TIA open prairie.
. TzuslinQ that you may regard this
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