The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1910-04-29
The Future Bright.

Year by year, for time with an
almost imperceptible movement but
now advanced to stage where it's eff
feet is more pronounced the range
country has been undergoing a transi
ton. Many and diverse influences
have played their part-some to tenn
porarily check its progress: some to
accelerate the inevitable passing of
the old system in favor Of the new.
To the party of live stock men who
stockmen this year the change was
more apparent than ever before-a
change which. while wiping out an ii
teresting and picturesque phase OF
life and one productive of many fine
qualities will put the land to larger
and more productive uses. Perhaps
most noticeable among the changes
were two: the gradual disappearance
Of the old time cattle king from the
convention halls and the more num-
erous and widely spread alfalfa fields
which dotted the landscape visible
from the car windows. The plowed
field is the grave both of the cattle
king and the range steer. They can
not co-eXist. In the place Of the old
time cattleman there have come
more numerous representation of
small ranchers, the farmer-stockmen
who are to make the west richer
than of old and richer in a growing
civilization, more diverse though in
some phases less interesting life.
If there has been feeling on the
part of stockmen that these cattle
conventions are losing ventures
through the breaking up of the range,
the feeling is misplaced. They, too,
are in state of transition. They are
today as vital and as necessary as of
old. Like all periods of change, the
present situation presents many vex-
ing problems and the adjustments
can better be made through the meet
ing and discussions of many minds.
AS conditions more gradually approx
innate those of the older and more set
tied sections of the country, these ex-
changes Of ideas will continue to hold
a permanent place although the ele-
ments which compose them have I'M
dergone change. In the future, as
in the past, the breeding and raising
of cattle will hold a prominent part
in the husbandry of these sections.
1t will be an industry upon differ
ent economic basis, but the country
will be, for all time, largely live
stock country. In these intervening
years the attention of stockmen at
market centers can be put to large
uses; but the interest must be some
thing more than selfish; it must be
one of friendly cooperation. 1t must
have it's foundation upon the propo-
sition that the markets are not work
ing for the tag end of the range bus
mess, but for that business which is
to exist in undiminished volume in
years to come. 1t must take cogniZ-
ance of and support all those activi-
ties which seek to build up in these
territories q live stock business upon
farm principles 1t must support
these activities primarily by main
tanning here and at other markets the
most liberal and helpful attitude; by
maintaining an open door market
where the best service is given the
shipper of live stock whether he is
to sell here or try his fortune else
where. Candor and honesty are the
cardinal principles of successful
market and neither Of these is lack
ing here.-Sioux City Stock Record.