The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1922-04-12
FUTURE IS Bright
| FOR WOOL GROWERS

HELENA, April 1O.-"The imme-
date future holds the promise of
profits for the wool-growers of the
far west, providing that they take
every advantage of their situation
which gives them control over market
prices by cooperative marketing, in
stead of releasing their wool TO east
ern commission buyers on bids below
the value of wool based on the i'm
movable law of supply of law and de-
mand," declared u. s. Senator r. N.
Stanfield, of Oregon, on his return q
few days ago to Washington from his
home state. "But this better pros
pect follows a period in which every
one engaged in the industry of pro-
viding the mutton and wool supply of
the United States has. battled against
| conditions which might have defeat
! ed less courageous men," said the
senator, himself a flockmaster prom
inent in the industry in Oregon.
Utter bankruptcy threatened
them," said Senator Stanfield. "In-
deed, many were compelled to sue
cumb, thus seeing the results of a
lifetime wiped out completely. The
conditions were uniform in all Sec
tons of the west. 1t was not bad
management, not speculation, not
greed. 1t was the inherent necessity
Of the industry that forced them into
the situation whence they now hope to
emerge, if given two years in which
to realize the improved market for
their products"
In a bulletin of late date by the
U. S. Department of Agriculture, it is
revealed that GA great many of the
wool importing countries of the world
are now practically On a pre-war con-
Stunning basis, and raw stocks are be-
ing converted into finished stocks at
a normal rate. Since 1920 there has
been a depreciable decrease in stocks.
The total wool production of the
world during rre-war years was no
more than needed to meet the worlds
requirements; with increased require
meats, however, there was no noticea-
bic attempt to increase production in
tile same proportion. The present
: population of the world is only about
so per cent of the 1913 population.
The world pre-war production, based
, on yearly figures for the five-year
{ period, 1909-1913, inclusive, was 3d.
l52, 100000 pounds. From all re-
: ports, it is probable the production
! during the present season will be less
I than 5000, 000, 900 pounds. The sup
: ply of wool in the principal consum-
ing countries is less than recorded fol-
u some time. Stocks Of wool in tbs
United States are lighter than in a de.
: cade; the manufacturers are operat
> ing about equal to normal"
q In the latest New England letter O.
: the First National Bank of Boston, i
I was stated: with the final gov
eminent sale (Of wool) has passed 4
: unique experience in the history o
." the American wool trade. Betwcel
April 25, 1917, and November II
1918, the u. s. government acquires
!, for war purposes 674,157 ,554 pound
: of wool. Of this total, nearly $50,
100000 pounds were allotted to mar
- uf~acturers during the course of tn
= war, and about 525, 100000 pound
n have been sold at auction since tn
:, signing Of the armistice. It is a trih
= ute OF no. nature to the woo
trade that the recovery value to til
% government on this wool approximai
:. ed SO per cent of the cost, a recoy
cry excelled by no other war surplu
4 commodity, if indeed even az
= preached.
- The action of the state board G
- equalization in raising the assess
: ment on sheep vas protested by th
! the standing committee of the Nor
= tana W~ool-Growers' Association, 8