Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1916-05-04
SHOULD GROWWOO
Iowa Farmers Urged to Give
Industry More Attention.
SUPPLY BECOMING SCARCE
Prices Of Wool Are Now Higher Than
for Many Years and There Are
Fewer Sheep To Meet the
Heavy Demand.

tunity for the Iowa farmers In the
world wide shortage in wool, in the
opinion of the Iowa State college ex-
perts, the Iowa department Of agri-
culture and others who are in touch
with conditions. Wool is becoming SO
scarce that the big manufacturers say
they do not know where they will get
their supply in another five or ten
years IL the shortage continues. Local
buyers are now offering thirty cents
per pound for wool whereas few
years ago sixteen cents was consider
ed high price.
In the last thirteen years the num-
Der Of sheep in the United States has
decreased at the rate of million a
year while the population has increas-
ed at more than million a year. The
passing of the range country has ap-
parently affected the sheep industry
even more than the cattle industry.
The big decrease in sheep production
in recent years has been in the west
ern states.
In 1903 Montana had S,932,311 head
of sheep and in 1915 4,379;000, or about
half as many. Wyoming had 5,S26.15
head in 1908 as against 4,427 900 in
1915. Colorado had 1887 1865 as against
1.757,00O in 1915. New Mexico had
6,677, 1856 as against 100000. The
country as a whole in 1903 had 3d.
s64,s76 head as against 49,956,000 in
1915. There has been some falling of
in the great majority of states.
Iowa, however, shows a gain in the
number of sheep since 1903. In that
year this state had only 100000 head
valued at $3,747,000. On January list
of this year Iowa had 100000 head
valued at sS,o2s.000.
But it can be readily seen from the
statistics for the country generally
that wool will continue to be scarce
and high priced and while Iowa peo-
| pie will without doubt have to pay
more for wooden goods the Iowa farm
/ ers who produce sheep will realize
higher prices than they have ever
known for wool heretofore.
The state department of agriculture
will make more of the sheep exhibit
at the fair this fall to be held the last
week in August, than ever, in order to
encourage the industry. Big prizes
are hung up for wool. A sheep shear
ing contest is to be put on and an ex-
hibition from the government will be
made in a government car sent out
from Washington.
County Examiners Busy.
Public officers, through the law
which provides for county examiners
and state agents, are being checked
more strictly than heretofore. The
state officers are kept busy going over
the accounts of county officers, as
provided by law. There are twenty
three examiners in the county ac-
counting department of the auditors
Office, who work out over the state
all of the time.
The state agents employed under
the attorney generals office investi-
gate anything in the nature Of crimi-
nal charges against officials.
]. F. Wall, who has charge of the
county accounting department, de-
clares it is amazing the customs that
have grown Up in some county offices
with regard to the charging of fees.
And often it is difficult matter to
get the local officers whose duty 1t
is to enforce the law to bring their
fellow officers to time for such irreg-
ularities.
Ask Flood Damage Relief.
Residents living in the vicinity Of
Spirit Lake and Clear Lake have made
application to the state executive
council for release from threatened
food damage. The continued exces-
sive precipitation that has occurred
for more than a year now has caused
the lakes to rise so that they are now
overfiowing many acres Of highly pro-
ductive and valuable farm land.
The executive council has referred
the matter to the attorney general,
who will thoroughly investigate the
matter before making ruling.
Differ On Election Ruling.
State officials differ on how the
special election June for the equal
suffrage amendment shall be con-
Quoted. The department OF justice
has ruled that one set OF judges and
clerks shall handle the state primary
and the suffrage amendment election.
Other officials declare there should
be two boards, one to handle the pri-
mary and the other the special cleo
ton. A conference may be called at
which the department of justice may
be asked to recede from its ruling
on this question.
Auto Plates Again Delayed.
Delay in getting dealers automobile
plates from the factory has caused
considerable trouble to the automobile
department and to auto dealers over
the state. At Sioux City two dealers
were arrested for operating cars with
pasteboard plates. They pleaded in
defense that they were not able to
secure the plates from the secretary
of states office.
Registration of cars at the state
automobile department has passed the
10000 mark. This is more than the
total registration for the year 1915.
Vets Attack Repeal Law.
Davenport vets, through their at
torneys, have filed in Supreme court
written arguments attacking the val
idity Of the mulct repeal law.
They declare 1t void "for the reason
its subject was not expressed In the