The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-11-28
A PROTEST.

In q communication printed by the
Great Falls Tribune, Mr.. NJ. E. Mil.
ner gives public expression to the
views of many Montana stockmen who
believe they have just cause for COM
plant. After giving a brief review OF
market conditions, Mr.. Miner writes
in part as follows:
The big outfits have come to q show
down, as was always apparent would
be the case when the farming element
arrived. There has never been q per-
iod when the stockmen were in the
way of the settling up of the country,
for their tenure of the range has been
most precarious. They have, how.
ever, been the most effective kind of
pioneers, intrepid, hardy and fearless:
they established conditions that
rendered 1t possible for bands of sheep
to take the country, which, In their
turn, will be restricted by the extern
sion of grain farming. 1t is to be
hoped that clap.trap newspaper
writer's and local demagogues will
recognize this fact and not harrass
the range cattlemen beyond the grave.
The operations of nature when in.
furious in their effects upon an in.
dustry are usually viewed p%hilosophi-
cally, but when the injury Is caused
by finite man ia his selfish or vicious
moods, the case a different
aspect. At the present time two
drawbacks in particular operate
against the success and pleasure of
conducting the cattle business. The
first that will mention is that the
federal government still maintains its
foolish position in the matter Of in
spection for scabies, and in some
districts Of the state, under virtual
coercion of the federal authorities,
has maintained o useless quarantine
to the injury Of many settlers. 1t is
we'll known that the scabies were it
does exist Is a surface affection only
and does not impair the meat value of
the animal. Also it has been demon
strated to the satisfaction of the stock.
men, who are the persons most cor.
cerned, that this form of bovine itch
comes and goes like a pimple on a
mans nose, without injury to the in.
dividual, except in some cases where
it is scientifically treated. Without
desiring to be disrespectiful to the
gentlemen, | will say that the general
wish is that the bureau Of animal in.
dustry will find another field Of activ'
ity for its employees and give the
rest.
The second and greatest drawback
to the industry is the criminal lack d
disposition on the part OF the rail
roads to handle the livestock ship
ments properly. That this failure il
due to pure G is evidenced
by the fact that j. j. Hill, the Wanted
railway genius Of the age, is cleve.
enough to devise schemes that are
making him richer than hat chic,
promoter of social di%scOntent, the in
famous Rockefeller, but apparently
he has no time or money to bring W
the motive power and equipment o
his roads to the requirements OF the
day, or, better still. double.track hi.
roads: nor has he the liberality t
build up and encourage a uniformly
useful and efficient corps OF high elias:
employees in all branches.
Taking the matter OF section hands
we have seer the hardy scandinavian
supplanted by the Dagoes, the latter
by the laps and those in turn by thu
shiftless Koreans who won't sant
stock cars in the rain.
Much is expected Of the f%orthcomin!
session of the Montana Legislative as
sembly. 1t remains to be seen whethe'
as Il body it will be able and homes
enough to devise stringent laws AM
establish q board OF railroad commits
sioners to render them effective.
More still depends upon the member
ship Of that board. whether it will b
composed OF purely politicians VIII
are secretly in the railway service, o
of incorruptible, fearless men VIII
will o dltferentiate between
swelled-up railroad president and
section hand.