Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-02-03
to Wool Industry
Proposed Treaty With Argentine Republic Would Work
Great Injury In America and Lease Law Would
Ruin Most Sheep Owners Of the West.
o the Editor of the New Mexican:

To the Editor of the New Mexican:
There has never been a time when 1t
was more necessary for the wool grow
ers of the United States to stand togeth-
er and unitedly protest against national
legislation and proposed national ac-
ton than the present. The industry is
being attacked upon every side, and
even the boom in wool prices cannot
save it, if the threatened legislation Is
contaminated.
Briefly stated, the facts are these:
!. The legislation of the 55th con-
gress, nominally gave the wool growers
a protective tariff of lie per pound, but
the quotations Of January l, 1900, shows
eign and domestic markets.
9. The regulations of the depart
ment at Washington, exclude all sheep
from the nearly SO, 200, 900 of acres of
forest reserves, an area which has
heretofore carried the f1ocks of the west
over the lambing season and the period
"twixt hay and grass of the plains.
3. The United States senate has I'M
der consideration at this time, a So
called reciprocity treaty negotiated
with the Argentine Republic, reducing
the tariff duty or the wool Of 100, O0O, 900
of sheep by 20 per cent, or 2kc per
pound, with every prospect of it's being
ratified.
4. A bill has been introduced in con-
sress, backed by n of the strongest of
lobby combinations, to have the re-
manning portion of our once great pub
lie domain, leased in unlimited quanti-
ties to the highest bidder.
The first of these, the injustice of the
wool schedules in the Dingley bill, has
been SO clearly and fully set forth by
our lamented president of the National
Wool Growers Association, the late
Vim. Lawrence, by w. H. B. Thornton,
and others, as to need no words here,
but the quotations show the tariq is in
effective, is a delusion and a deceit.
SHEEP EXPELLED FROM RANGES.
AN sheep were expelled and have
been excluded from the national forest
reserves, upon the recommendation of
a scientific commission appointed by
the department with an appropriation
Of $25, O00), to inquire into this matter
Of pasturing sheep upon the mountain
timber sections of the country. They
reported the sheep ate the grass and
6lNro stn1 tho nnttpt,xy RIO y, p1aJ tho
ground and made it wash. while they
browsed the young pine, spruce ana
hemlock, thus preventing forest
growth. The great fund of informa
tion(O which they obtained bears upon
it's face, evidence from whance ii camc
for sit is but the refined echo of the
western cowboys abuse of sheep and
sheep owners" this testimony Of CIT
tie men as to the habits of sheep. Was
certainly news to all sheperls. The en-
forcement of this order means destruc-
ton to the small flock owners Of the
foot hills in the Rocky mountain sec,
ton.
The proposed treaty with the Argcn-
tlTe Is anOlner dow at an INDUSTRY o.
this country which more than any other
still remains in the hands of indivi5-
uals-the poor man"-as distinguish
cd from corporations and combines.
For a concession by the .Argentines
ON certain manufactures of this oun
try, which no other country has made
and no other country can make, they
are to be given not only free hides for
which they gave US nothing, but a con-
cession of 2 1-5c per pound, on every
pound Of their greasy wool shipped into
the United States. After this has been
adopted, it will be too late to protest,
for the answer will be treaties are
sacred and must be observed" Now
Is the time to protest.