Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-01-28
Socialism a Flat Failure In the "a.
nous Island Empire Of the
South Pacific.
SEVERE AUSTRALIAN pRouTH
Sheep by the Millions Have Died from
Starvation and Thirst-Sheep-
men Ruined.

uo - aAa
lecturer who is making a tour Of Mon
tana, was in Great Falls last week and
in an interview related many things
Of interest seen on a recent trip
through the orient. He was particular
ly enthusiastic over the beauty OF the
Islands which he charac-
as the Paradise Of the Pa
His recital of the results Of
socialism in New Zealand description
of the terrible d~evastations of the
drouth in Australia will be interesting
as having a bearing on local condi-
lions. In part he said:
II spent about six months in New
Zealand, Australia and Tasmania.
These lands are a part of the British
Empire and are inhabited by English.
Scotch and Irish and their descen-
dants. Their loyalty and devotion to
Great Britain Is wonderful. New Zea-
land furnished soldiers for the
South African war, according to popu-
lation, than ever England herself. 1t
pleased me immensely to find such a
genuine. cordial feeling in
Australia towards us Americans. They
speak of us as their own cousins.
They believe we Americans are the
greatest people in the world. They
acknowledge our superiority to any
other nation for inventiveness, pro-
gressive spirit, unbounded energy. and
they also concede that we are nscru
pulous. | vas especially impressed
with New Zealand and its inhabitants.
The north and south islands OF New
Zealand together are not as large as
Montana. The country is rich in re-
They have gold, coal, iron
in abundance and some silver and cop
per.
New Zealand is without doubt the
richest grazing country in the world.
The climate is very mild. All seasons
of the year, abundance of rain. The
soil is very rich. II Is incomprehensi'
BILE the number of sheep and cattle
200 arces will support. In recent
years they have developed dairying in.
terests and those sections where they
carry on diversified farming are the
most prosperous. Much is said now.
adays about the advanced New Zea-
land legislature. The government
owns and operates the railroads. tele-
graph and telephone lines. Also car
ries on a life and fire insurance, OPP
crates some coal mines, owns the state
bank of New Zealand. The political
life OF New Zealand is controlled by
the labor vote. Dick Seldom. the
prime minister, is the leader of the
labor interest.
Il never saw such poor railway man.
agement as in New Zealand. AL
though the government owns the rail-
roads, both freight and passenger rates
are higher than here. The reason OF
this is due to Encouragement and the
mismanagement of the railroad is due
to civil service system. socialism. al
though carried out in a moderate de.
gree in New Zealand. destroys com
petition and ambition. the two main
steps in the onward march of pro.
gress.
while the aim of the government
is to cooperate with the laboring peo'
pie, yet labor Is not near as well paid
as here. The fireman and brakeman
earn s1.S5. while the engineer earns
about S3.06. The conductors carr
about $500. The prosperity Of New
Zealand is not due to it's socialistic
laws, but rather to increased demand
for its products.
Il also spent some time in Australia,
visiting three out of the six states
Conditions there are pitiful in the ex.
IRENE. During the past four years
they have had little or no rain. Mil.
lions and millions of sheep have died
and cattle also during the past three
years.
Australia is on the verge of finan.
cial ruin. Four years ago New South
Wales alone had 46. 900 900 head OF
sheep; today about 5000, 900. Con
ditions in Queensland are even worse
For miles and miles one passes
through territory where millions Of
sheep were fed; today not one IL
sight. No water. no food. the suffer
ing among sheep and cattle is actually
pitiful. Some claim that this drough,
is due to the fact that during the pas
ten years millions and millions o.
Eucoliptic trees were killed. Thes,
trees retain moisture. But in ordel
to increase and strengthen the nourish
ment OF the grass, they oeadened tn,
trees. Even with an abundance o
rain ii will take Australia five year,
to recuperate from her losses. Aus
tralia is a country almost as large a,
the United States. The drought ex
tends over nearly the whole country
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