The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-05-17
Paint In Wool,

More complaint than ever is heard
this year over the action of the west.
ern wool growers in branding their
sheep with paint and tar, says the
Wool and Cotton Reporter. This is
not a new grievance; on the contrary
it is an old grievance which time does
not seem to lessen. The subject has
been referred to before in these col
umns but we shall unquestionably be
doing the growers a service, and pos
sibly we shall be doing the wool deal
ers and the manufacturers a service
also. by abiding to the matter once
more. Our attention has been called
recently to a lot of wool which has
been received at the seaboard, and
We are free to confess that a more
shocking exhibition could hardly be
imagined. The wool was in a condi-
ton to excite ones disgust. The pre-
dominant color of the mass was an
exceedingly nasty red. and it is hard
ly conceivable that anyone should have
had the temerity to offer such a de-
Perforated commodity for sale. This
is by no means the first instance of
the kind that has fallen under our OBJ
servation. Repeated cases of this sort
lave made us keenly alive to the fact,
that no matter how much the people
OF this country may be in advance CT
the people OF other nations in their in
methods, they have a great
deal to learn of them as regards the
OF the wool growing industry.
When will the wool grow rs of the
United States appreciate the fact thai
there is money in putting up wool for
market in a Clearly manner? We
should suppose it would he self-evi-
dent to them that they could not
their wool in insoluble paint
and expect to market it on satisfac-
tory terms. They brand their sheep
with liquid colors which are not sol
uble in water, and which do not yield
% the influence of the chemicals en-
in the dye room. 1t goes with
out saying that woods that come to
in this condition are discrimi-
hated against by. the manufacturers.
are continually being lost by
'eason Of the discovery by an intend
ng buyer of al undue amount Of paint
n the wool. The colored material
S a dead loss. Nothing can be done
With it by a manufacturer, and it sim
lily goes into the waste heap. No
manufacturer who knows his business
will buy wool loaded with paint ex-
ept due allowance is made for the
act in the bill which the seller renders
i'm. This should be readily under
TODD by the grower, and it is diff
ult to understand how the latter can
CURE out any advantage to himself
sending such clips to market. Every
inc he does so he stands in the way
f his own interests, for he is steadi-
7 building UP for himself the reputa-
Of offering a commodity which
will be for every ones advantage to
ave nothing to do with SO long as
nything else can be round in the II ar
!
The grower cannot plead necessity
II his course IN branding his sheep |
/ the ann described. That is no t
oubt the easiest and least expensive
,ay of branding them, but in the end
is the most costly method for the {
In these days Of sharp COM
etition success comes not 70 the man {
no makes the least effort to satisfy
lie demands of consumers but to lne
ian who makes the greatest. There
re ways to brand sheep without inn
the character Of the fleece; !
nd if at the start they are a little t
ore expensive and troublesome than 2
lerely painting the sheep. they are a
economy in the end. What the 7
DOL growers of the United States I
eed to do, is to strive in every way, t
Individually and collectively, to raise !
ne character of the product which ?
ley put upon --.e market from year
} year. ANY old thing will not 90;
hey should modernize their methods
l every particular-that is, if wool
rowing is to be pursued as a serious t
occupation in this country, in compel {
ition with the world at large.
Goee for information /.