Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1900-04-25

many stocknen are Indifferent to member.
ship. II is true our present membership
comprising many prominent stock owners
from each county in the state, ia represent.
atiYc Of the live stock interests, yet the
fact remains that it is 10 the interest Of
every honest stoekman in Montana TO be-
long to this organization, for in union
there is strength. The objective work of
the association, aside from the mutual
benefit oI organization aud association, is
the suppression Of "rustling' and the pros
ecutiun ol thieves, and Hs the smaller own.
ers practically are benefited by this work
they should all become members and iden.
tify themselves with the association work.
At the present time more than 10 per cent
OF our membership is composed " what
are termed small owners" W, shall he
glad to receive applications at amy aud MI
times for association membership, the nn.
nual dues now being but 81.
The work Of the past year has been very
gratifying, aud do not know that can
do better than To quote from the annual
report oi the board OF commissioners on
this subject, as it's statistics are complete
and cover the suhiec, fully:
The report OF the inspectors work Tor
the year makes n very crcditable showing
with go arrests for violations 81 the stock
laws. uithis number NJ conyictiou- were
had. While | | cases ar" still pending and
three warrants are stiIl out one party
was cxtrndtcd by the Canadian auth0Ti.
ties aud convicted Ia Canadian courts,
requisitious-one being conyic'ed-Nhile
two jumped their bonds aud have not
been recaptured. Aside from the enforce.
mcnt OF the stock laws, nearly all Of our
inspectors are depu,ized as shcriiis and
render considerable aid in the enforcement
uf the general criminal laws. We have n
very efficient force Of incstimable value 10
the live stock interests. Among the duties
Of inspectors is the examination oi hides of
cattle killed ON the railways oi the state
and the reports for 1899 show II total OF
TS2 hides so inspected aud reported. Dur.
Ing the past season the inspectors at the
market report a total of 2O3, ,49s head Of
cattle shipped out OF Montana, including
home consumption and such Hs were
shipped to the feeding districts in the corn
-. thta yur.,Lar tlara -
strays recovered by the inspectors pro.
ceeds OF s367 head being paid direct to the
owners, While the remaining 2,3s2 head
were paid To owners through the associa-
tion. The total number OF stock cattle
brought into the state during the year was
less than usual, being 10000 head, OF
which l,3lI head we're thoroughbred cat.
tie for breeding purposes. The number Of
horses shipped from Montana during 1899
as shown by the inspectors reports was
80. 900 head. The new law requires the ia.
spection Of all horses exported-and while
| there was some disposition nt the com
mencenent to evddo this law. u few oX.
amples had tho desired effect and there has
since been a general compliance With the
law.
The board goes on tosay. The Montana
! StOckgrOwcrs association has been n
strong support to this board in all Of its
work both morally and financially. Its
contributions to the board aggregated
So. .2GO4O, which has materially assisted
in the broadening OI our work. The innds
contributed by the association ars held in
trust by the board and expended in ac,
cordance with the wishes ~ the executive
committee. but under the direction and
supervision OF the board. The associ tion