Great Falls tribune., 1922-04-19
OLD TIME COW MEN

|
| : (COntinued from Pare One)
| Demands Reduced Commissions
/ John S. Burke, president Of the as
sociation, in his annual address tool
occasion to condemn the commission
concerns for the maintenance of higl
charges prevailing during the war ant
argued that, with the reduction il
stock prices to less than pre-war fig
be proportionately reduced. He pro.
tested the present system Of payine
lbounties on predatory animals-which
he said, had cost Montana 1916 last
year-and advocated a system of work
ing in conjunction with the fedora
biological survey under which half the
bounties would be paid by the survey
He said there was no doubt but that
Montana was paying bounties upon
many pelts smuggled in from other
states.
Urges Simpler Shipment
Mr. Burke devoted much time to a
| discussion of railroad conditions and
rates as applying to stock shipments,
| saying that, as q result of them, Mon
tana stock is greatly Disseminated
against He advocated different
system OF transporting to market
points under which trains of 3O-car
maximum would be rushed through
without stock being consolidated with
better class of freight.
He discussed market conditions, the
wool situation, the forest reserve and
brought out that cattle rustling is still
a popular outdoor sport in Montana,
With 21O arrests, 1O4 convictions and
70 cases pending for the past year.
Fred BIxby Gives Tips
At noon the stockmen were the
guests of the Silver Bow club at a
luncheon in the clubs dining room.
Features of the operations Of the
California Livestock association were
related by Fred II. Bixby of Los An
geles. president of the American Ma
tlonal Livestock association. as sug-
gestions for adoption by the Montana
association. He stated that. in addi
ton to having county associations. the
state was divided into zones and that
every member received a weekly re-
port OF sales and once a month a re-
port on feeding conditions. From the
transportation companies. each week a
report is received of stock brought into
the state aud thereby the associations
knows every week just where the live
stock industry of the state sands. AS
the result of this system and the mar
keting features, the stockmen Of Cali
forniA receive more money for their
cattle than do those of any other sec
tion OF the. country. He said the as
sociation also conducts an exchange
by which feeders can always obtain a
line on available stock The associa-
ton has a traffic department, and
while it has no cooperative selling
agency. the stockmen are SO banded to-
gether as to get the best results.
Urges Spread Distribution
Mr: Bixby advocated a more orderly
distribution system for the whole coun-
try, whereby Cutting of the market
tiens In prices obviated. The speaker
demanded a reduction Of commission
house charges and said that as the |
stockmen are receiving less than pre-
war prices the commission man should |
not charge more than prc-war figures. |
He said that if necessary the national |
would appeal to the fed |
eral agencies to bring about desired |
reduction. |
Praises War Finance Aid
He expressed strong approval Of the
War Finance corporation, in the great |
aid 1t had furnished the stockmen and
advocated a protective tariff on hides, |
wool and livestock, not as a political |
move, but as an economic measure.
Transfer of the forestry department |
from the department Of agriculture to
the department of the interior was
strongly opposed by Mr.. Bixby. He
expressed great optimism as to the
future OF the industry and told the
stockmen that if they could hold on to
their cows for q year or two. they
we're going to come out on top Of the
heap.
Wool Man Encourages Sheepmeu
Matt Staff. Of the National Wool
Warehouse company, Of Chicago, gave
he sheepmen great ENCOURAGEMENT for
he future and delivered lengthy talk,
n which he reviewed the wool situa-
ion. He showed that tho big surplus
u wool had been exhausted, claimed
hat the production this year would not
- nearly sufficient to I'LL the demands
md prophesied further increase in
'rovement in general Industrial condi.
ions Of the country, which is bound to
'e reflected in the wool market, and Of
he increase In the buying power Of the
,eople through restored confidence.
lie said the wool on hand in this coun-
~ at the beginning of a year usually
mounted to $50, ,06O, 900 pounds, that
be years production IL estimated at
30, 600 600. or 4 total Of 100000, 900
rhich 10 tho usual yearly consumption
D the country.
Fine WooIs Exhausted
Consequently, he said, the first Of
ext year should see NO wool in Amer 1
u other than that imported from other
ountries. Fine wool, the kind pro- ,
uced In Montana, 10 virtually exhaust
4, hs said, and the Australian produc.
on has been greatly reduced. He ad.
ocated . tariff Of IS cents on secured '
optsnt, as proposed In the senate, and {
nd the wool men should surely b
lvsn the advantage Of q tariff OF not :
10 than 26 cents, as passed by tie
'wer house. He said ono large con- {
I'm in this part Of the world had sold 1
. 1922 clip at S57t cents, that Ari-
INA sales had been made at "a to 81
'nto. and that Montana growers would