Omaha daily bee., 1906-01-13
our ttttta sor
wn., shah IN. e,r,.., NJ. 4,


OMAHA, Jan. i9.-ro the Editor % The
bee have been one cf your readers FOR
Iona time. and &c one interested IN the
important matters nov rising from day 20
daS IN the prosecution of the cattle men
~ our state. would respectfully ask space
for a word
n L. very evident ~ this time that the
once prosperous condition OF the cattieman
OF western Nebraska has been grossly tram
Piled upon. Among the more notable fea-
lures that have brought dire disaster 80
the door Of the small rancher IL the order
ing down OF their fences at time when
the low price paid for cattle had placed
many ot them on the verge OF bankruptcy
Added TO this comes the seeming deter
minstion ON the part W the administration
to further prosecute western Nebraska, and
Il may I've we'll at this time TO ask. n this
state of affairs IL to continue, what In
deed. viii the harvest be-
omaha. but a short time aEc but little
more than an Indian village, today mag
nineent city, built largely and tie inter-
ests fostered and cared for by the very
men against whom the venomous sting Of
accusation IL being directed. omaha, to-
day, AZ an industrial and commercial cen
ter. built almost entirely by the cattle In.
terests OF the western part of the state,
ranks we'll with its city sisters Of the
union, and has a future before II which
inspires lite every citizen with hope and ed.
miration. tte markets. az n stock center
have been the third largest In the United
states, hut today It stands sorely threat.
ened by hardships imposed upon the very
mon who have borne lts burdens and con.
tributed most to it's glory
II IL appalling to note the articles appear.
! ing from time TO time In eastern publics.
tons regarding the conditions in the west
all based upon absolute Ignorance, ~ not
worse
To grasp the situation, one must per
sonally investigate the cattle country oi
today as compared with that OF yesterday
The fence OF the Standard Cattle compan,
yesterday enclosed sSoco head OF cattle, to.
day their fences enclose less than 300 head
OF cattle Yesterday tho standard Cattle
company maintained a village within theil
range OF about SEQ people, with good wages
today three men are SUFFICIENT to care FOL
the odds and ends of that great enter
prise, and that once prosperous little VII
/ lagc OF happy people Is entirely deserted
| 1nnumerable instances OF like character
could he cited, aside from the many small
|
Small cattlemen are the greater sufferers
for they have been compelled to abandon
what to them was their business anS
capital. The tearing down OF these fences
meant closing out OF the few head %
cattle owned by them Well, lt is known
they were unable to maintain riders {,
look after numerous small punches OF cat
tle for the prices paid for the same woul,
In no way warrant Il.
A look into the future foretells NOR
than has been srasped by those who per
sistently contend for the uprooting of thu
cattle interests, Too little thought Is givei
this important subject by those who shout,
be most interested therein. IL is time 70
the stock interests of the state. for tn
commission men. for the Board OF Trade o
Omaha, In fact, every business circle o
this state TO awake to threatening con
4 ditions that confront them and decide upol
a remedy at once efficacious to all an,
harmful to none.
This must be done I'm the light OF tn
most important and sacred interests of Ne
braska's statehood. those interests upol
which the progress and stability OF Ne
braska has depended so much In the pas
and to which IL must look In the future
the cattle interests of western Nebraska
j. W. HEWITT