Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-01-20
FAVOR POLICY
OF ROOSEVELT
National Livestock Association In
dorse the Administration Pro.
cedure in lsthmus.
PROTEST AGAINST RAILROADS
Charge Made That the ~Transporta.
ton Companies Are Not Treating
Stoekmen Fairly.

Ohhaehtf wv ~ ~ ~ VII
animous vote and with a great show
of enthusiasm, the National Livestock
association adopted a resolution very
heartily endorsing the policy of Pres
ident Roosevelt, with reference to the
building of the Panama canal. When
President Springer introduced the
resolution, he alluded to the discus
sion of the Panama question in the
United States and the criticism of
President Roosevelt on account of the
position he has taken.
The call for a vote was a signal for
a roa Of ayes and n burst Of deaf
ening applause. Not a dissenting
voice was raised. A copy of the res
olution was Immediately telegraphed
TO the president.
Today the subject of railroads and
forest reserves were considered In re.
lation to their effect upon the live
stock industry.
The shortage of cars, the slow time
in transit and high tariff formed the
burden of a number of addresses bear
ing upon the first mentioned subject.
That legislation might be had remedy
ing the exclusion of stockmen from
forest reserves was the demand OF
every speaker.
Complaint also was made that the
merger of railroads has greatly In.
creased rates and President Springer
made a statement that unless the
railroads treated the livestock men
fairly, effort would be made to secure
the election of railway commissioners
in all western states.
Legislation in the interest of the
topic of discussion during the session.
The legislation desired is principally
in connection with the handling of
livestock by railroads, the passage OF
a bill providing for a classified cen
sus OF livestock and measures in re-
lation to the use of government re-
serves for grazing range. Many sug'
gestions as to how the desired legis.
lation may be secured were made.
Resolutions favoring the passage of
the pure food bill and demanding the
transfer Of the control of government
reserves from the department of the
interior to that OF agriculture were
passed.
A. c. Halliwell, editor of the Chi
cago Daily Livestock World, deliver
ed a brief address on the subject
Tariff as it Affects Stock Growers
w. w. Cotton, of Oregon, in his ad
dress, declared that 1t was useless
for stockmen to try by legislation tc
get a speed of twenty miles an houl
by freight trains unless they were
willing to pay extra expense. He ad
vised cooperation between stocl
raisers and railroad men rather thar
an attempt at legislation.
A paper by l.. A. Allen, of Missouri
declared that In the matter of CA
supply and speed in transit roads arr
giving the poorest service In the his
tory OF railroads. Mr.. Allen held tina
livestock men are suffering for un
warranted increase In rates, refusa
of passes and discrimination. TIL,
cause of these conditions, it was eald
was the community of interests com
bination and the arbitrary action o
railway magnates in trying to ge
all the earnings Of the shipper.
A paper by F. F. Saunders, of Tex
as, held the action Of the railroad
in responsible to a large measure TO
the demoralized condition Of tn
range stock business. The speake
stated that when there was competI
tion between roads the stockmel
Jared better, but the present merger
and combinations leave the stockmel
without recourse.
President Springer, in opening tn
afternoon session, stated that wha
stockmen wanted and must have !
railway companies continue to with
hold passes, is an active railway CON
mission. The railways do not wan
e commission. he said, because the
know what 1t means. because the
have lei what has been accomplish
ed thereby.