The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-08-25
DECISION IS ADHERED TO
Chief coburn Writes to Secretary Of
National Livestock Association
Explaining His Ruling.

be awarded by the Louisiana Pur-
chase exposition for cattle was pub
lished the men engaged in the indus
try of raising range cattle were sur
prised that no provision was made for
awards for exhibits of range cattle,
as such. They promptly sought to
remedy what, they considered slight
and the National Livestock associa-
tion took up the matter with the chief
of the department Of livestock, or
rather made preparations to take 1t
up with that gentleman, but, thanks, to
the enterprise OF the western press,
Mr.. Coburn was informed of what was
doing and he forestalled the associa-
tion by writing letter to it's secre-
tary, Charles F. Martin. The letter
is not OF an encouraging nature and it
is extremely doubtful whether any,
thing in the way OF special prizes for
range cattle in carload lots will be
offered.
It was believed that recognizing the
difficulty that would be experienced
in disposing OF the show stock after
the exposition closed had something
to do with the refusal of the managers
of the fair to offer the desired pre-
miums. But it seems that Chief Co
burn has other reasons, as will be
seen from his letter, which for the
benefit Of the stockmen of Eastern
Montana who might have thought
some of competing, The Gazette repro
duces.
Coburn's Letter.
Chief Coburn writes as follows:
st. Louis, Aug. IA, 1903.
Mr.. Charles F. Martin, Secretary Ma
tional Livestock Association, Den
yer, Colo:
My Dear Sir: Through the columns
of the press there comes to my at
tention, among other material OF sim
liar tenor, what purports to be an in
terview with or from you, wherein is
arraigned somewhat severely the
management of the Universal exposi-
tion of 1904 Cor rather Chief Coburn)
for some alleged ruling" whereby
range cattle are Disseminated
against it's enormous injustice" and
saying sit is wrong to bar these cat
tie from the exposition" etc.
l am inclined to think there is con-
siderable misapprehension on the part
of several worthy gentlemen as to
these matters, and beg to suggest that
the rules, regulations and prize list
of the exposition, which will be pub
lished in a few days, and constitute
the rulings" that obtain, make no
specifications whatever, pro or con,
as to range" cattle, and do not spe-
city where, by whom or how any anil
NAL shall be reared for which a prize.
is offered. On the other hand, every
breed, every breeder and every exhlbf
itor is in that respect placed on ex-
actly the same footing and is not dis
eliminated either for or against, and
no questions are asked as to whether
he or it comes from New York, Mexico
or Nova Scotia, Colorado or Cuba,
Tasmania or Tennessee, Missouri or
Manitoba.
The enterprise at st. Louis is to be
an universal exposition, where high
quality Illustrating breed types and
possibilities and not mere numbers,
will be considered, and its plans are
not made with any particular locality,
altitude, climate or vegetation singled
out for special consideration. Compe-
tition open to one is open alike to
all, and every exhibitor is privileged
to make, if he so selects, not one, but
two entries in every ring provided for
throughout classification which for
breadth and scope was never before
approached.
In the matter of numbers punches"
"droyes'' and Carloads, the yards at
any leading market afford livestock
show and good one, every week day
in the year, where prizes are awarded
daily in the form of top prices to ex-
hibitors of the best carloads, and even
trainloads, but the Worlds fair OF 1904
is on different scale, for different