, 1907-11-25
NEGLECTED RANGE STOCK.

The American Humane association
has been making investigation OF range
conditions in the northwest. This in
vestigation has covered a period OF
several years and is startling in Its
disclosures. In commenting upon this
report the Chicago Tribune says:
THE report Of a special commission
er OF the American Humane association
to investigate the conditions attending
the raising Of range stock in the north.
west reveals a state OF affairs which
would be almost beyond belief were
not the assertions supported by mauy
representative citizens and by photo
graphs of actual scenes.
THE loss of stock due to exposure
is enormous. The reports of the Unit
ed States government officials for the
year ended March 81, 1905, indicated
that 2,67S,027 cattle died from all
causes, over half of them succumbins
from exposure. Within 200, 200 as ma
ny sheep died during the year, consid-
erably more han one-half of them from
Exposure. The figures for 1906 and
1907 do not vary greatly from the ones
given. In other words, the total an
nual losses of stock due to exposure
are counted at $500, 900 animals. repre-
senting an estimated value of $24, 000.'
900.
1.-THE primary interest of the commits
sioner was that of the Humane society,
but his report is full of information
which shows the importance of the sub.
ject from an economic standpoint and
likewise indicates how the steady
growth of population in the range coun'
try Is increasing the death rate among
the animals to such a figure as to make
the future of the industry quite doubt.
full. The fencing in of large areas once
roamed over freely by the cattle as
they sought food and water has SO re-
stricted their movements that their al.
ready difficult search for these necessi.
ties of existence has been made little
less than a slow march to certain
death.
with vegetation scarce and good
water scarcer the cattle are starved to
death, the mildness Of the winter be-
ing the determining factor whether the
spring roundup will bring prosperity
or poverty to the owner of the herd. II
was freely stated to the investigator.
who made his study as the winter OF
1907 closed, that the average cattle
ranger expected to find a loss of so 20
rs per lent after his stock had expert.
enced the hardships Of a winters ex-
posture. poorly watered, scantily fed,
and subject to the cold. the piercing
winds, mi the mango which makes
the suffering greater by causing the
falling out of the protecting hair.
The details Of the report are horrify-
ing in the extreme. II they lead to
speedy correction of the evils their ex.
posture may ge a-good thing. But 1t
will be a revelation to many that NIL
man greed and avarice are manifested
in such a shameful form in connection
with the cattle and sheep on the
ranges. The signs seem to Indicate
that the business is falling off because
Of the encroachments Of settlers, SO
that the evil may disappear before
.ong. Some are beginning to realize
that there Is more profit in smaller
herds kept in more limited areas and
fed to some extent during the cold
months. If ouehalf of the facts men,
toned in the humane officers report
are correct there is no doubt that cat.
tie ranging as it has been practiced In
the northwestern states Is as cruel and
inhumahe a-business as can be found
in the civilized world"
The conditions reported do not ap
ply to Wyoming in any material de-
gree. Stockmen of this state, with
rare exceptions, make ample provisions
for storms. Particularly is this true
OF the cattle business, which is ii
vided into small holdings and is con.
trolled almost entirely by fenced en-,