The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-07-15
Statement of Kansas City Stock
Paper Erroneous.
Brings Forth Denial = From
State Board Of Agriculture.
KANSAS HERDS LARGER
$4,000 More Cattle in State
Than in 1902.
The Number of Swine Has In
creased 100000.

A very erroneous and damaging
statement concerning the alleged de-
crease in the number of cattle. horses
and swine in Kansas during the past
year has appeared in the Daily Drov~
ers' Telegram of Kansas City, and has
called forth a denial from the Kansas
State Board of Agriculture.
From returns received by the board
of agriculture covering 81 counties of
the state, and compiled under the law
by the county assessors there is an in
crease of about 216,000 head in the num-
Der of cattle owned in the state, over
the 1902 returns. There will be shown
also an increase of about 100000 in the
number of swine. and 10000 in the
number of horses
The Drovers' Telegram makes this
statement: Compared with the as
SCISSORS returns for the previous year.
these figures (for 1909 show a decrease
of 71.915 in the number of horses. 1895
in the number of cattle, and 435,226 in
the number of hogs
The state board of agriculture has
received reports from 81 out of los
counties, and it is possible to give a
very close estimate on the total live
stock in the state. The following esti-
mate has been prepared by figuring out
the rate of increase in the 81 counties
heard from and applying it to the "A
counties not heard from:
Mich cows 791,S44 S11,299 19,455
All other cattle 1855, 500 2,752, ,62O 1856 $50
Totals ... 3,s47,s44 3,56s, ,919 21e,275
BY a similar method it can be deter
mined from the reports that the in
crease in horses and hogs is about TO-
0O0 and 100 600 respectively.
The increase in milch cows is about
"A per cent, and in other cattle is
about Der cent, making an average
increase for the state of about 8 per
cent. in the number of cattle during
the year ending March l, when the as
Sessment is made.
The correspondent of the Drovers'
Telegram evidently made his mistake by
assuming that the report Of the asses
SolS, as returned to the state \auditor.
IS the same as the report returned to the
secretary of the. state board Of agricul-
ture. He compared the total number of
CATTLE horses and hogs reported for tax
alton in 1903 with the total number of
cattle. horses and hogs as published in
the last years report of the state board
of agriculture.
The law controlling the preparation
of these two reports is different. and the
results obtained can not be compared.
When the assessors make up their list
for taxation, they record only the horses,
cattle and hogs which are over six
months old. Then they turn to the sta
tlSt1cal report which they are required
to prepare for the state board of agri-
culture, and record the total number of
horses, cattle and hogs of all ages. The
first list goes to the state auditor. and
the second to the secretary of the board
of agriculture.
The abstract of the assessment which
is returned to the state auditor. and
which has been published quite extern
sively includes no animals under six
months old, and is therefore much lower
than the actual figures. Hence it is easy
to understand how the Drover's Tele
gram figured out such startling decrease
in the total number of cattle horses and
hogs in 1903 as compared with 1902.
Butler county will undoubtedly be the
leading cattle county of The state this
year, though so far it has not returned
its statistical report to the secretary Of
the board of agriculture 1t has, how
ever, $4,000 cattle listed for taxation in
it's abstract of assessment sent to the
state auditor When all the cattle in
the county under six months old are ad-
ded, the total will be upwards of 100000.
This is the first time in the history of
the state when any county has passed
the 100, 900 mark. Butler county has a
popula tion of about 100000 so that there
are five head of cattle for every man,
woman and child in the county.