The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-01-17
Third Annual Session Opened at
Fort Worth, Tex, With
Large Attendance.
ORGANIZATION FL0URISRlNG.
President and Secretary Submitted
Very flatterins Reports-Rail-
ways Sharply Criticised
i,iye-Minute Speeches.

f"ii Worth. Tex. Jan. l6.-The third an
nual convention of the National Live Stock
Association Of rhs United States began here
to-day. with a good Attendance OF dele,
gates.
After several addresses of welcome. the
annual address Of the president VAS De
i!ver"i by J. W. Springer. Mr.. Sprinser's
speech was, In part. as follows:
We now face new questions, new re
sponsibiIi;!es and rapidly extending mar
kets. Conditions have forced our nation Ia
abandon the Chimes. wall policy. and We
are to-day enjoying at home our greatest
prosperity, while our foreign business Tor
1879 reached figures of over &.@".ooJWV.
is II any wonder. my friends. when you
look the facts 81 rarely IN the face. that
the 1--we stock Industry Of the Tnir~I States
s 10 he found harnossed TO tho chariot Of
progress?
rs # Plumbers or quality that communI1
the worlds gold dollars to-day? I answer
It is quality. And now permit me TO lay
down five aXioma. which. l hold. are SELF
evident:
"First-That no State can realize a heavy
Immigration. that is no; liberal with the
i've Stock interests.
"Sccond-That no railway management
will prosper long which turns Il deaf ear
10 the complaints Of stockmen.
"Third-That no live stock market will
continue 70 grow which imposes a terminal
charge on every car Of live stock for the
privilege OF unloading At their yards.
"FoUrth-That 40 srockmau viii prosper
who does not read and literally advertise
is stock i.Frrr,a1g nr.,r mud -,p-.1g,,n.
"Iifth-That the s-oCkman who gains tho
greatest reward viii he he who places quail
lily above quantity In all OF his dealings
IN 1--we stock.
Il regret 70 be compelled 70 report that
the railways terminating at Missouri River
points have been very ungrn'rouS with tho
live stock interests in is'a. Notwithstanding
a generally accepted promise. made by c"i-
tain railway officials. the fccd~inE-ln-trauslt-
privilege which We have enjoyed for over Il
quarter Of a century. was abrogated without
excuse.
Railways Criticized
This has been tho banner year In thu
carrying trade for the railways OF this
country. and yet they We're forced to as
sail the already burdcned Hive st",k indus
try to Increase their revenues. This great
organization possibly should employ the
hest traffic manager obtainahlc and give him
authority TO route all of our live stock and
see who will furnish the best service for
the most reasonable figure. This IL the
way the Rockefcllers made tho Standard
oil Combination ~ powerful They ~
IaHgei to Own their own cars, and the rail-
roads of the United States pay them Iiber-
ally to haul them filed.
The members Of the National Live Stock
Association are to-day stronger financially
than the STANDARD Oh syndicate. We have
nearly %t",Hht~D Of active working values
In our horses, cattle. sheep and hogs, owned
lE lYFF Iy,H-. naV-bar - 81, ..Ef... -
those We indirectly represent.
shall We take this railroad bull by the
horns and twist his neck, or shall we be
tossed like a ball from pillar to post, each
time with a LITTLE higher freight rate tackled
on to our animal anatomy?
l am for peace IL it can be obtained
on any reasonable basis; but for war IL
we can obtain no redress by diplomatic
methods.
This great live stock organization has
dccr"cd that the terminal charges at stock
yards in this country is against public
policy and must. therefore. be abrogated.
Tho far-reaching Importance of a
thorough and complete live stock census
has been conceded by General Merriam. tho
tcmnissioncr of the Twelfth Federal Cen
suS. who has adopted the recommendation
of the National Live Stock Association and
mas made 1t possible for the world TO know
Nith greater accuracy the extent of value
ana numbers Of horses. cattle. sheep and
hogs throughout the United states.
The weather bulletin is another feature
We nave mad Incorporated as a part of tho
duties of the signal station officials. Storms
are now sighted afar OF and warnings sent
especially over the range country. Every
such bit Of Information is Of advantage 10
the breeder or feeder Of live stock.
Bright Outlook.
The general outlook for cattle. horses.
sheep and hogs never was better than at
present, and the demand for meat Is on tho
Increase all over the country, besides the
greatest foreign demand We have ever en-
Joyed vii! keep prices firm for some time
to come.
1t may be set down with absolute GER
tainty that the American horse never held
as exalted q position as he does at the
dawn OF the Twentieth Century. In all ages
history speaks Of him.. and the future will
crown bin as mans fittest companion in
tle animal Kingdom: His place shall be
nearer the family. The horse shall ever |
stand Tor health. enjoyment and llfe-true. |
honorcd and Invaluable.
We lind the United States credited with
nearly 55."r.00" head and a beef production !
or nearly $4,000 tons per annun.
We are experiencing an era OF pros
Ie!Ily not soon to end, as consumption Is
increasing much more rapidly than IS the
production of Tho country. AS long "A this
prevails prices will remain
higher.
The American hog numbers into the mil
ions ana the demand grows apace.
furnished about 2g0.0co. go pounds of wool |
from less than 37.ec0,O0O Of sheep. against |
Sh0c.eD sheep In 1854; The consumption of
and lambs has increased beyond
tho expectation of even the most enthusiast |
tic sheep breeder, until now nearly yd0.U1 |
tons are consumed. Twenty cents is pre-
dicted for the wool crop of 1890, and every |
mill in the whole land running full
time and behind in orders. and paying high
cr wages than have been paid for over a
decade. And yet, with this great increased
OF wool. IN 1893 We purchased OF for |
eicn countries over l..OJV.c pounds o.
WOOL. most OF which should and Will be
grown In our great Western and Southern
ranges. We must give the sheepnan his
just dues. anl admit that his fiocks have
As fntEn Fgght mn -hA DrIlie a,,..E. Nc I,,r .
herds.
They have been given this privilege for
back, and II should he cOutin-
l'n until the Government cOmpelS both |
-heepmen and cattlemen to pay for using
government grass. 1t is believed in SOM.
quarters That the :heepman is against the
government. and that his fiocks should be
ard selfish and wholly without equity in
any sense of the word. Il is we'll for us all
TO remember that each American citizen
must give ana take. for no one has Il mo-
me open range. The best stockman IS the
StOckmau who shall delight to
the golden rule.
Public Land Question.
The beginning of a new year should wit
ness a change in our public land system.
The citizens Of this country should De en-
to lease the great tracts of wild
grazing lands and bring them to a state of
IsvluIneSS- Every homesteader should be
SiNen first choice TO lease for from five TO
-en years, at > per cent per acre. twenty
acres Tor every acre he owns. and the bal
ince OF the public lands lying in tho vari-
DuS counties of the Western States should
be valued by the County Commissioners
81 the various counties. and the land then
by the Federal Government ami
leased 20 the highest bidder: rent payable
annually In advance for Il period of from
i've to ten years. with good bonds for fu-
ture payment.