The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-07-01
JUDGE MATHEsoN WANTS WAR
ON FoxTAiL.
WOES OF the WOOlcROWER
place Where the Eternal Fires Were
Close and Water Far
Away.

-
,Efom Fridays Daily Gazette.
Everybody knows that Judge Mathe-
son is an enthusiastic and successful
horticulturist and loriculturist and
that his chief delight, next to preach
ing the misleading doctrines Of de-
mocracy, is to weed his garden and
minister to his posies. This year, as
usual, he has a large patch Of truck
and the accompanying measure Of
flowers Of various kinds. But his
mind is troubled and his heart is
growing heavy because Of the agrees
%siveness of the michievous foxtail, a
grass or weed, that seems determined
to take possession Of the town. By
dint Of hard and persevering effort
the judge has so far managed to keep
the upper hand Of the pest, but it
tries his patience and energy to al
degree that threatens serious results
to him mentally and bodily.
He was u~nburdening himself to The
Gazette this morning and appealed to
it for the power of its support in the
direction ct organizing a united and
systematic war on the cause Of his
mental perturbation. He thought that
If the matter were properly placed be-
fore the people and the danger OF al
lowing the grass to spread with0lt
'hinderance were made plain to them
something might be accomplished in
the way of obtaining relief. In his
opinion it was a matter sufficiently
serious to merit the attention of the
city council, who by adopting a reso-
luton in regard to foxtail similar to
the one adopted in reference to the
Russian thistle and other noxious.
weeds the pest might be held in re-
preston if not totally exterminated.i
Anything to get the best Of the
sheepman and gouge him to the very
lowest notch seems to- be the idea
that dominates the minds of the wool
buyers said a well known sheep
grower this morning to The Gazette.
Because Of the large amount Of rain
that has fallen throughout the greater
portion of the wool growing territory
this season, they are unable to con-
. sistently raise the old cry OF TOO
much dirt SO they have taken an
other tack and now are saying that
the wool carries too much spear
grass. But the object in mind Is the
same-to get wool at the lowest pos
sible price. I am inclined to think,
however, that this new cry will be
resultant Of not much nor benefit to
the buyers than the old ones have
proved at times and that prices will
be about up to the average. The time
was probably when such considera
lions as weeds, burrs and spear grass
did seriously affect the price sof raw
wool, hut that was long ago. Mod
ern machinery makes it possible K
clear the feeces Of all such incum
brances and the recollection OF othe1
DAYS is kept alive only for the pur
pose Of a lever to get whatever ad
vantage possible in dealing with tn
original producer. Spear grass doe
not brighten me much and don
think it scares others t. any grea
extent. OF course, we would rathe
have our wool free of the stuff, but s
long as it is there we can't help II.
~ see that we are to have an e.
Inhibition of ball playing by the at
xregation Of weather beaten female
known as the 'Bloomer girls" sal
a local devotee of the great America
game to The Gazette today. IN
doubt quite a crowd will attend b.
cause of the novelty of the thing, fe
understand they are to play Id
electric lights, and just for the fun
seeing a lot Of women making a blu
at playing ball. but nobody Will =
with the expectation of seeing 2 re-
game. AS an exhibition 1t Is bour
to be f%eatureless, q fact the shreN
manager Of the outfit we'll unde
stands, and for that reason has see
fit to add what he considers his be
drawing card-Frank James, the ers
while notorious bandit Of Missoul
James is toted along as umpire al
is supnOsed To see that the girls 2