The San Angelo press. (San Angelo, Tex.) 1897-1907, 1904-11-24
STOCK NEWS
Little Stock Items.

ne eleCUlOn Is now over, anu I
the strings that have tied on the /
beef trust investigation should be
loosened. Let us have that prom
ised report, together with the nec-
essary action to put the trust out
of business.
There are many men who have
sold calves this fall who will wish
they had those youthful bovines
back before the closing of another
year. The outlook for better
prices all around is considered
very encouraging, for the coming
year.
The losses that occurred among
cattle as result of the lack of
suitable shelter during the recent
cold rain, tells its own story. 1t
would not require the eXpendi-
ture of great deal of money to
provide the requisite shelter, and
but there are many men too short
sighted to do so.
Land matters are still creating
trouble out in the range country,
and the recent shootingscrape out
in the Monah0n country over land
claims is but another admonition
TO the state legislature that there
must be a change of methods in
dlsposing of the remainder of the
state school lands.
Range calves are selling out
in the Midland country for $lG
around, and such prices as these
serve to demonstrate the fact that
the bottom has not yet dropped
cut of the cattle business in this
state. If man has the stuff
worth the money he can usually
get 1t.
There has been a brisk demand
for horses all the year, and the
thousands that have been sold at
good prices and shipped out of
the country have done much to
ease the financial stringency
among the stockmen. The horse
has done his part during this sea-
son, and the demand for good
stuff continues undated.
Many of the range cattlemen
feel they are land poor at this
time, as result of having invest.
ed in so much land in order to
make sure Of their standing, but
the time IS coming when they will
never regret their action. The
man who owns his ranch land Is
safe 50 far as the future is con-
cerned, for there are none to mo-
lest or make him afraid.
Ohio buyers have been operat-
ing out in the west Texas range
country during the past few
weeks, buying the best range bred
calves they could find at pretty
stiff prices 1t is something new
for buyers of this class to show
up in that section, and it illus
trates the fact very forcibly that
the feeding world is learning the
fact that they must come to the
range country to find the class of
cattle they need in their business.
The range outlook is about all
that could be demanded at this
time, and if the cattle producers
can only jar loose from the beef
trust, the situation would be gen.
orally satisfactory. Prices are
too low, and many men who are
selling stuff now are losing mon
ey. A bunch of steers were sold
on the market in Chicago a few
DAYS ago ISIS around that cost
500 two years ago Such prices
as these will in the end break ev-
cry cattleman in the country.
There must be relief.
Congress meets in December,
and it is before that body that
the next big fight in which the
cattlemen are interested will be
made. A determined effort will
be made to amend the interstate
commerce law in such manner as
will enable that body TO not only
prescribe the rates on interstate
traffic, but to enforce them. The
railways will be represented in
the struggle by the brainiest men
they can employ, and no effort
will be spared to circumvent the
work of the cattlemen.
Our northwestern friends are
already announcing that they ex-
pect to buy Texas steers very
cheap next spring, but Texas
ranchmen have heard that same
old song before. They intended
to clean up the offerings at their
own price last spring, but they
did not quite succeed in doing it.
These gentlemen may az we'll take
due notice of the Texas situation
now and prepare to govern them
selves accordingly. There will be