Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-05-18
DECREASE OF
SHEEP NOTED
Flocks Of the Eastern and Southwest.
ern Portions Of the Country Have
Dwindled to Nothing.
OUTLOOK FOR GROWERS
Senator Powers Finds the Situation
Eneouraging-Wool Season Will
be a Good One.

Great Falls, May 1l.-Formcr Sen.
ator T. G. Power was in the city yes
terday morning. returning to his home
at Helena after a visit in the far East
to Washington, Chicago. New York
and other cities. He was, while in
the east, present al several meetings
OF stockmen at which efforts to Sc.
cure redress OF grievances were made.
and feels that much was accomplish.
ed.
The sheep proposition looks like
n good one Tor all time to come" said
Mr.. Power. Consider first our rapid
increase in population and the taste
the American people are developing
for mutton. There is a steady ten.
dency towrd increase in the produc.
ton of beef. while on the contrary
both mutton and wool production is
decreasing. Once New England was
full OF sheep; where are they now?
The tlocks Of the great southwest have
been reduced until they are no long.
or an important factor in the ma.
tionnl supply OF either mutton or
wool.
I'm lower attitudes oi the country
lew sheep are raised. and The num-
Der is decreasing annually. out here
on the northwestern range. the nat
ural habitat of the sheep. the industry
has reached its maximum height. and
Is now on the wanc. An ovorstocked
range, destruction of natural grasses
and gradual settlement of the country
tells the story ~eloquently but briefly.
Within the past year the ilucks
OF the northwest have decreased 20
per cent, and representation of fur.
Their decrease seems logical. As I
said before. the tendency is toward
all Increase in the production OF beef.
but a decrease in wool and mutton"
But Is 1t not probable that the
small ranchman now taking posses
sion of the northwest will turn his at.
tention TO Sheep"
NO, and for the simple reason that
sheep require constant care. The set
Tier takes readily to cattle, but few
OF them will handle sheep. Cattle
look after themselves to a large ex-
tent. sheep need attention. The high
price Of labor is one influence that
is affecting the sheep interest"
VIVA is the prospect for wool?"
Excellent. | think the grower is
assured of last years prices. Wool,
unlike cotton, has not had the bullish
influence of speculative impulse. If
It had wool would be worth &c cents
in the grease today. But | am not
an advocate OF speculation in wool.
II is better for the grower to have
prices fixed by legitimate demand, as
at present.
There is every reason, however,
why wool will continue to command
good prices. The duty | regard as
permanent in fact, it is essential 10
the stability of the industry. Austria.
las locks have been practically wip-
ed out by drought, and by the time
they ran be restored our population
will have Increased so much thar
there will be sufficient demand for
every pound raised TO insure the grow
er a good profit. The wool and NUT
ton of the United States must be pro-
duced for all tim. to come west of
the Missouri river. The sheep is an
animal ill-suited TO rich lOwlands of
the Mississippi valley. You may fin
ish your thin stuff in the corn belt.
but the breeding must be done and
the wool must be grown in the higher
attitudes"
What about Montana's losses this
winter?"
Light and heavy, according To the
locality. East of Forsyth ! put the
loss AT 20 per cent, but even that Is
not surprising. This range was oy-
crcVowded by driving fiocks into that
part of the state from the g%rasshop-
per ridden districts west and south"
Senator Power has taken a lively
interest in the live stock %transporta-
ton problems which have recently
arisen. and was the sole representa-
tive of Montana at the recent ChiCa-
90 conference. He is satisfied that
western railroad managers will ulti-
mately decide to do the right thing
by the live stock grower.
But we must have good service"
he said. They talk about a 2i.hour
run between st. Paul and Chicago for
Montana livestock. That is not fast
enough. We have no complaint TO
make with our Montana roads with
respect to speed; in fact. the people
of this state will not stand much inn
position. Our friends down in Texas
are complaining audibly OF a lamen-
table condition of affairs. In my
opinion things could not come to such
a pass in Montana. Our people sim
! nlr Mnmll mot smhmit 10 IL"