The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-05-08

be had 10 buy the sheep. distribute
and sell them 10 farmers In such
quantities AS they can afford 10 buy
and handle properly.
Small Cost to State
A very large increase can be made
of our flocks in West Virginia this
year This would mean an unappre-
ciable expense to the State. II being
assumed that the farmer would bay
these sheep at actual cost. The money
appropriated for this use would simply
be used TO finance the proposition on
4 safe basis. and the interests Of The
Stale amply afeguarded during the
transaction. Money used for this pur.
pose would flow back into the treas
ury as fast as car loads Of sheep were
delivered and collected for. The sales
would oe approximately made before
the stfeep were delivered in the State.
Ttn. number nf sheep in the State
nov would produce not much more
than an average Of one pound Of
washed wool TO each citizen OF the
State. If il had been washed it would
be so little as TO be almost negligible
in quantity. The per capita Of thu
supply of wool in the world now is
lower than ii has been for many years
and the supply for next year. il we
estimate by the las: per capita, will
be lower than it is now. There is An
assurance Of good prices for both NUT
ton and wool for thr land owners
under normal conditions and this
should bt Immensely encouraging 10
them. West Virginia is rminently
adapted for this business. Ii is The
natural home for sheep and repeated
oynoriannos in nlnonst rDIIDtV
the State show this 10 be true.
SO much damage has been done and
fear aroused by the presence OF dogs
in the State, that ii will be absolutely
necessary before anything along this
line can be accomplished 10 have The
passage OF some safe law bringing the
dog under control and eliminating him
as a menace 10 this industry.
The Time to Act.
Certainly, If there was ever time
when such proposition should appeal
10 the people Of West Virginia il is
now, under The present conditions.
The people OF The United States are
called upon for Il contribution, as their
part in this great worlds war. TO not
only feed themselves and the people
,of our own States. the Army and
Navy, but 10 produce immense guam
titles OF food for our friends across
the ocean. 1t Is we'll known that
West Virginia has not for many years
produced as much food as her people
and live stock consumed annually by
many millions OF dollars. 1t is true
that this year. there is great encr-
getic and continuous display along
this line, greater perhaps than has
ever occurred before but the prob
abilities are that even then. next year
we will still be short Of taking care Of
ourselves.
This sheep proposition is a good
one, whether we have war or not, and
in time OF peace il will be Il Continu-
ously desrab proposition which will
20 long way toward supplying food
and clothing for our own people. II
this effort is 4 success, il must have
some legiSla tion. or in other words,
some legislation must be undertaken
without delay. II seems to me- 10 BE-
an effort worthy Of the enthusiasm Of
everybody in the Stale Of West Eir-
ginia, and that the press, the legiSla-
lure and the people would b. willing,
under the circumstances 10 support
the legislation looking toward any
appropriation which might make it an
assured success.