The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1911-07-26
WHEN is A SHEEP A HOG?

The wearisome talk in the United
States senate, in connection with the
Canadian reciprocity bill and other
measures, ia occasionally interrupted
by a speech that affords entertainment
to the senator's and the general public.
One of these welcome oratorical con-
%tributions to the gayety of the occa-
sion was made the other day by Sena.
tor Warren, of Wyoming, a member
of one OF the largest wool growing
firms in that state, who reviewed some
OF the information upon the wool in
dustry that has been offered by the
authors of the Underwood tariff bill.
Senator Warren said in part:
l have before me the Underwood
glossary, something mor recent than
the dictionary, in which more people
are interested, and they have given US
definitions which are evidently In
tended to be final. l do not believe
that these definitions will add very
much to the hilarity of the sheep grow
ers and the farmers who have been
struggling along under the fear of
free wool and selling their wool for
one.half or two.thirds price for the
last year. do not think it will make
them very happy to read the defni-
tions and to find that one fell swoop
all OF the sheep of the United States
have been unsexed aftertheir first years
shearing, and that thereafter, no mat
ter what they were at birth, they be-.
came members of the male sex-all Of
the sheep of the world, in fact, accord
ing to this glossary.
| do lot anticipate that it will add
eve to the pleasure Of the ancient eve
sheep that have every year borne
their lambs, sometimes one at q time,
sometimes twins, and sometimes trip
lets, to find that they are now wether
sheep, male sheep, because they have
passed beyond their first year, for
here we have it reading from House
Report No. 45):
"Wether-A sheep after the first
shearing."
"Wether wool applies to all tleeces
cut subsequent to the first fleece, which
is called lambs WOOL
Mr.. Clark of Wyoming-Is the sen.
ator satisfied with that definition OF
wether wool?
Mr.. Warren-Well, | am so we'll
satisfied with it that | am not going to
ask the proponents of this investiga.
cation Of the postolfice department to
shear quite as close in the p~ostoftice
department as these people propose to
do in the Ease Of a sheep. Mr.. Presi-
dent, either we need to 60 back to the
fundamentals, commence all over
az ain, and investigat e every industry
aud every branch of it. " else, as is
assumed by the author of this report
and others, there is nothing that can
be added to their fund of information
on schedule X. When we assure the
dear farmers that a lamb born q eve
becomes TRANSPORTED at her first shear
ing, and thenceforth remains q
wether-s male %sheep-it may add to
the gsyety OF nations, but l fear the
farmer may whistle and quote that old
witticism ut is better not to know so
much than to know so much that isn't
So"
Mr.. Smoot-Here is q definition Of
"wool'': ''Wool-Fibers Of all ami.
mails are not alike; they vary in ~fineness
soundness, length and strength, from
the finest Merino to the rigid bristles
of the wild boar"
Mr.. Warren-And, furthermore, a
sheep is q hog until it is q year old,
according to this glossary.
Mr.. Reed-Before the senator from
Wyoming takes his seat
The vice president-The senator has
taken his seat. The chair will ask
him to resume a standing position.
Mr.. Reed wanted to inquire il it
was his wether that was being shorn
which had aroused his anxiety this
morning:
Mr.. Warren-I am beginning to