Omaha daily bee., 1905-10-25
GRASS, BUT NOT The HERDS
bay Springs Joins Other Towns in Plea for
the Cattle Raiser,
CHANGE IN LAND LAW is NOW NEED:I
Ranchers should BE Given = Chance
to Buy These Acres and Put
Business on solid
Basis.
(From a STAR correspondentl

| HAY SPRINGS. Neb., oct. 24.-(Special.)
The same unsettled conditions exist here
as are noticeable In the country south Of
| Ainsworth, Gordon and Rushville. Those
engaged in the cattle industry, and hve
out Of six persons living here are more
or less in the cattle business. are uneasy
and do not know just what to look for
and expect in the future. Kinkaid home
steaders came into this county by the doz-
ems last year, and those who could bring
money enough with them to buy bunch
OF. cattle are doing we'll but many who
spent considerable money to come here
and look up homesteads and did not want
to go back home without hing on $40 acres
had but little conception of what the coun-
try is really good for, and large per-
centage of them have not returned to es-
tablish their residence. In nearly every
case where they came here without means
TO purchase cattle or did not bring stock
with them, the outlook is so discouragng
that many we'll meaning men have been
forced by dire necessity 70 leave their
homes and go to work for someone else
in order to get money to live on. Many of
these sturdy citizens could get stock TO
raise on shares, or could borrow money
now idle in the banks IL they had any
assurance OF improved conditions but when
these pioneers 90 to a bank to borrow
money they are met with the proposition
that they cannot mortgage their home
stead. as 1t is against the law. and are
reminded that they must nave $500 worth OF
improvements on their land before they
can prove up and get patent to the land.
II these pioneers could have an oppor-
tunity to buy adjoining land so as to round
up a ranch large enough to take good care
OF about 200 head of cattle, those that are
deserving. and many are deserving, would
, have no trouble in enlisting capital TO
give them stock to Craze.
Growth of Cattle Values.
II is estimated that the value Of a years
! growth to each head of cattle will aver
: age something near $40. That is a year
ling kept one year on the natural grass will
be worth so more at the end of the year
when 1t is a 2-year-old, than it was at a
: yearling. and likewise a 2-year-old kept a
! year will be worth an additional $40 more
when It becomes a 3-year-old. At least 90
per cent Of the cows kept for raising calves
will each year raise a calf worth so or
more. From this basis it can readily be
seen that with bunch of 200 cattle nice
profit can be made each year out OF the
natural grass that is now going to waste.
There would be no trouble to get settlers
for all of these lands II capital would also
come in and furnish the settlers with stock
to start with. Under present conditions
Z capitalistsr will not came ia on the ground
( floor, for there is no floor to stand on un-
{ less they come in person. It is apparent
$ that but few men who have money enough
TO buy from fifty to an hundred head of
I cattle will come here and endure the hard
Y ships of this frontier life. They do not be-
$ come interested under existing conditions
s MT
e title to land without residence, and thus 1t
t appears plain that the solution of the prob
, lem, which is vital to Nebraska, rests In
= some method whereby the man with money
! who will not come here to live. can CO.
l. operate with the man who has no money,
t hut is willing to come here and bear the
$ hardships that all must bear with hope
Of later becoming independent and owning
: a home and herd of stock Of his own.
omaha's Interest is Direct.
II is not intended to convey the idea
4 that there is nothing In this country at
present On the contrary, thousands of
head of as pretty. well-fed cattle are graz
A ing on the prairies can be seen anywhere
. in the country. and the improvement on the
: grade Of cattle is simply wonderful when
Z. compared with the cattle raised here only
: a few years ago. But the fact remains that
" country to eat the grass that grows each
year and therefore the waste is enormous
! Train load after train load of cattle passes
! down the Northwestern line to market
every day, but II the country was stocked
as Il should be, the stock trains would be
far more numerous and likewise the trains
coming up from Omaha would be thicker
and more frequent, loaded with goods from
Omaha jobbers and wholesalers. 1t al
~
q Omaha business men is also the interests
! OF the cattle raisers. 1t would be far better
n for the Omaha business men TO have this
!, country dotted with small producers, say
- with from fifty to 500 head of cattle each
y than to have tie country IN the hands OF
!. the large concerns. The large concerns
buy most of their supplies by wholesale
:. and quite a percentage they buy I'm Chi
= cago. while the small producers patroniz,
:, the local merchants, along this line. whC
~ largely buy in Omaha. One thing can b,
depended upon settled and that is tha
the cattlemen of western Nebraska will
Z never go back TO the days OF cowboys t
T. herd their stock on the public land no NOR,
y than will the people of Omaha go back t,
s. the old horse cars for street railway trans
D portation. 1t can also be safely said tina
= If present conditions are continued, tn,
J. immense waste OF beef producing materia
J. will go on from year TO year. The countrl
l. simply cannot be settled unless conditions
. are such that capital can come hand II
= hand into this country with labor. No on
supposes that the new business block
could have been built in Omaha by tn
VI vorkingmen in Omaha alone. They had L
a. have the cooperation of men with money Il
order to build the splendid buildings ii
!, omaha Likewise the men who are read
N and willing TO come here and work, takin
care Of stock and making use OF the gras
q now going TO waste, must have the co
operation Of men with money or failur
stares them In the face, and they canno
get this necessary help from men OF none
unless the conditions are changed so tina
!" the cattle business can have a solid basi
i'N "a rest upon. This means land in fe
T. simple, as a basis for the herd severa
ranchmen have stated that they hav
'h friends in eastern Nebraska OF other state
n who would gladly furnish them means I
Is buv cattle, II the business rested on
oi more solid basis. Others say that II IN
G land could be purchased in limited tract
o. thew have friends who would go into part
ed nership with them furnishing the neeessar
n money 10 carry on the business OF produ
a - haef for the market