The Socorro chieftain. [volume] (Socorro, N.M.) 1902-1959, 1906-08-18
THE TERRITORIAL FAIR
Material Interests of Territory to
Receive More than Usual At
tention This Year.
SHEEP GROWERS CONVENTION
Government Control of the Leasing
of the Public Domain to
BE Considered.

In the past fault has been
found with the Annual New
Mexico Fair held at Albuquerque
because more attention has been
given to- amusements than to
matters calculated to advance
the material interests of the ter
ritory. People like to be anus
ed; but whatever of basis there
may have been for this objection
i'll the past there remains the
fact that one feature of this
years Fair, which opens on Sept.
18th, is certain to prove a vital
factor in advancing the greatest
industry of this Territory, the
sheep and wool growing industry.
This is the convention of sheep
growers, called by Governor Ha-
german for the purpose of form
ing a New Mexico Sheep and
Wool Growers Association. The
object of which will be TO look
out for and protect the interests
of the industry as a whole and of
each individual member of the
organization.
The need for this organization
is imperative and when one con-
siders the importance of the in
dustry and the part it plays in
the every day business affairs of
every business man and property
owner in the Territory. the won
der is that it has not been form
ed before. Now, however, ques-
tions directly affecting the sheep
and wool growing industry are
coming up for immediate action
with which the individual is pow
erleSS TO deal. His only hope of
having a voice in the settlement
of these questions which vitally
affect his personal pocket book is
through the strong voices of a
powerful organization which
shall represent the entire indus
try of the entire territory. 1t is
for the forming of such an or
ganization that Governor Hager-
man has called the convention in
Albuquerque next month. The
time and place were chosen be-
cause of the low railroad rates
prevailing on account of the Ter
ritorial Fair, making it possible
for all sheep men to attend with
small expense; and If it does
nothing else but result i'll the
forming of this organization
along proper lines, the fair this
year will have aided in a great
work for the greatest of our in
dustries.
Delegates with formal creden-
tials have been appointed to at
tend this convention, but the
moving spirits in the proposed
organization, and the officers of
the Sheep Sanitary Board, who
are taking an active interest in
it, have extended most cordial in
vitations to all the sheep men of
the Territory to attend, whether
delegates Or not, and to take an
active part in the convention and
the formation of the organiza-
tion.
There is a single question soon
to come before Congress which
affects directly the individual in
terest of almost every sheep man
in New Mexico. A strong or
ganization in New Mexico will
be able TO influence the decision
of this question. This is the
government control of the leas-
ing of the public domain and the
terms upon which il shall be
leased. Every sheep man knows
the importance of the decision
Congress shall make on this
question. Knowing its import
ance it would seem that the
sheep grower who failed to at
tend this convention and enroll
himself in the organization would
be deliberately neglecting his
own individual financial inter.
eSts. The members of the Sheep
Sanitary Board are sparing nc
pains to let the sheep growers
know the importance of this con-
vention and it, therefore, seems
likely that il will be the most
largely attended gathering ol
this kind ever held in the Terri.
tory. Certainly it will be the
most important.