The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-01-20
/ lille M I'D
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ADDITIONAL RAILROAD REeu.
LATioN Will RE ASKED
OF CONGRESS.

DENVER. Col. Jan. z0.-It Is likel!
that congress will hear a few things
about the need for additional railroad
regulation before the eleventh annual
convention of the American Nationa'
Live Stock association is ended. Hun
dreds of delegates arrived in Denver
today to attend the meeting. which
opens tomorrow morning. and nearly
every one has bone to pick with the.
railroads. The shortage of stock cars
which has resulted in loss of thou,
sands of dollars to western cattle
men in the last year, is the principal
source of complaint.
Another matter which will be ar
gued pro and con is that Of the ma
tional administrations policy in re
gard to forest reserves and public
grazing grounds. A majority of th'
stock raisers are decidedly oppose
to the Roosevelt regime. in this mat
ter, and will likely give expression
to their opinions in vigorous language
The subject of the extension of for
eign markets for the meat products o.
this country will also receive much
attention. Government meat inspec
ton and the cost thereof will be fully
considered. The financial stringency
and it's remedy. from the standpoint
of cattlemen. will afford an interest
ing discussion.
If the number of delegates already
here and the interest they are mani
Testing is criterion. 1t is certain that
the convention will be the most large
~ attended and important in the his
tory Of the organization. Western
stockmen are confronting many prob
lens of vital interest to their welfare
and prosperity and are determined to
use every means in their power to So
cure relief. AS a political force tn"
stockmen of the country and their de
pendents are no insignificant factor
and they will probably take advantage
of this fact to urge congress to action
1t is declared by prominent Texas
cattleman that the railroad service
both in the matter of supplying suttl-
cient cars and in the proper transpor
tation of live stock. is more demoral,
lied to-day than ever before. Hun
dreds of thousands of cattle which hal
been fattened and put into prime con
dition for the market have had to be
turned back to the ranges on account
of the inability to get cars for their
shipment to market. All the labor
and expense of stoclimen in fatteninp
these cattle was wasted. involving \
loss Of hundreds OF thousands of dol.
lars. Laws for regulating the service
performed by railroads are even more
important than laws regulating rates
in the opinion of prominent stockmen
and they will demand that congress
pass bill at this session affordinp
relief.
Other laws which congress may b.
asked to pass for the benefit Of the
stockmen include an act preventing
railroads raising rates without first
securing the consent OF the commits,
sion; a bill providing for reciprocal
trade agreements with foreign coun-
tries, and the establishment of graz
ing districts upon the unreserved and
, unappropriated lands of the govern
, ment.
The Western stock show, which will
be held through the week, has now
become national event and entries
have been received from all over the
country. Two new features of the ex'
hibltion this week are car lot exhib'
its Of range horses and displays OF
grain and forage used in fattening
live stock. The association is offer
ing about $4,000 in premiums, AMI
special prizes by associations and in
dividuals will more than double the
value OF the offerings.