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Show WOOL GROWERS MEET H National Association Is Con-Hi; Con-Hi; ;j vened in Portland. Hi! j SENATOR WARREN'S ADDRESS Hp t Hl Utah (VI on on Credentials and Resolutions Committtos. Constitution Is Brought Up for Adop- H; tion But One Change of Import- H I nnce in New Document. Hi' ' Portland, Or., Jan. 11. The cor.ven- Huj , lion of the National Wool Growers' as- Hi socintion was called to order In the Hjj Baker theater I his morning at 1l ::J0 Btj I o'clock. The theater was filled with ' sheep men from the Western States Hl j antj wltl. representatives of allied in- ' terests from various parts of the coun- try. Among those In attendance were ' two of President Roosevelt's commls- j doners to Investigate the public land Ht quest lorr; which will be one of the Ini- Hj portjuit matters presented for con- f; yidcration bj' tlie wool g:eweis. flj United States Senator Warren of "Wyoming, president of the Wool Grow- c is' association, presided at the open- H' lug .session, and the business of the convention was inaugurated with the ! reading- of his annual address, lie said Hj- in Hj SENATOR AVARR1WS ADDRESS. The change since lS'J-'i in the wool- growing industry hf.ve brought nbout new H problems. Among them is the adaptation H- of the industry to the public land laws, H; with a 'view to fostering to the greatest degree the most important industries nf- ' . fc-cted. In forest reservation matters there has lx-cu friction, and the patience of flock- H; ntr.teis lias been sorely tried. But there H' i" a prospect of forestry matters being HT onsolklatcd in the Department of Agri- culture and for a satisfactory adjustment Hj nf many of tiie troubles which have hore- toforc attended forestry administration. Hj GROWER AND MANUFACTURER. Hj The interests of the wool-growers and I manufacturers are in the main neutral. Hil ft There is very little that the two can or j jt should differ about, and a great deal upon i which both should agree. In the matter 1 If of protection by means of tariff for both l there should be no differences. Tn the J t legislation last made upon the subject, j and In considering dangers by way of Hl ' legislation or through treaties offered Hi is since, both "associations have been a unit. H; 3 In the matter of ranyo differences there ij Is nothing needed b the wool-growers ; that should be antagonized by the wool HU manufacturers. m ' APPARENT DIFFERENCE. ; One matter In which there is an ap- HV jj parent dilference of opinion Is in the pre- ventlon of alleged fraudulent sales of Hr w woolen goods. The wool manufacturers, jj while not taking open Issue, arc yet known to be fearful that the proposed H ! ' shoddy bill" might inflict hardships and J' perhaps Impossibilities upon the manu- ! ! faelnrors without, as they think, rcach- B, I Ing the desired remedy. Vi INDUSTRY PROSPEROUS. HT We arc reasonably certain that tho i fl j resent protective tariff legislation will 'i not be disturbed, and thercforo we ap-prebend ap-prebend no violent or sudden change in Hn the industry. With comparative freedom Hr! .1 from apprehension on this score, we have 1 I' Time and Inclination to seek better mcth- j nds of preparing wool for market, and f more satisfactory methods of marketing , in fact, we enter the year 1904 in condition 1 and with sentiment to improve and build I up and make permanently prosperous this j great Industry. I SECRETARY'S REPORT, j Tn the absence of Secretary Mortimer Levering the report of that official was ; read by Assistant Secretary Fred P. 1 j Johnson. The report dealt principally with the 'efforts to recognize the asso- ij elation under the revised constitution. Attention was called to the fact that h the amendment permitted organiza- Hj lions of sheep men to membership H fi in the Wool Growers' association, i , Tlte jmggestion was made by the sccre-. I I tary that the change In the constitution J 1 1 be ratified. j 1 ENCROACHMENT ON RANGES. I The crowded condition of public lands and tho encroachment upon I i ranges by Government forest reserves, j was referred to. The report stated that J h this condition had resulted in the past N year in a large number pf sheep growers Hj j bolng forced to go out of businesss. j The secretary noted with pleasure (I I that the Government is beginning to Hl j take note of the Western sheep and Hli.jj cattle ranges relative to their condi- II j tion, and ptaposes to take steps toward j a change. A portion of the report dealt M with the proposed change in method l lii of handling wool ao that the producers j v ns.y be enabled to deal directly with H 1 1 the inanufacturcr. I j DEFICIT IS SHOWN. j 1 Tlie report of expensc-a of the secre- 1 j tary'o department showed a deficit of a j 111 little more than ?300 owing to delays I N in collecting dues. The adoption of a Hl I (1 -n ell-defined policy to be carried out ' by the secretary was urged as ncces- i ?ary to ensure the success of the orga- H L nization. j WHAT TREASURER'S REPORT SHOWED. Treasurer A. J. Knollln w.-us absent I I on account of illness, and his report 1 1 J was read by Mr. Johnson. The recelpta I and expenditures for 1903 showed a bal- j I I ' ance on the credit side. j'L' Following this report the "order of B j j business was changed and the revised H J constitution was taken Tip for considera- B J i tlon. Action was deferred until after I I) the report of tho Committee on Cre- I ij dentials. ;j COMMITTEES APPOINTED. - Jj On motion of Frank J. Hagenbarth 1 i oC Utah the cl,air was authorized to 1 11 appoint five men on a committee on H! I J ""oaontlala and the same number on H I HI committee on resolutions, Hil Hi Credentials-Jessie M. Smith, Utah: il ?...K- "'chols, Washington: John Mc- Hhl L M"an. Idaho; F. Kendt, Wyoming. I Heeolutlons F. J. Hagenbarth. C. H. j Callloter. Utah; Tim Kinney, Wyom- H lug; E. S. Gasney, Arizona; Jack Ed- Hfl l wards, Oregon. . H j GREETINGS OF PRESIDENT. H ! Just before neljournment for luncheon l ' 5"nat1' WaiTfi" announced that Presi- dent Rposevelt had sent his greetings Wrl fj) ajld btst v-'hc-s to the convention. The l V announcement was received with pro- Ijj longed applaucc. HjU COMAIITTEES REPORT. Kl The afternoon session showed a larger 1 ivtendanco than the morning. The real 5 A uulnoss of the day was taken up when K Commlttcc on Credentials reported and the constitution-was brought up for adoption. The only change of Importance Im-portance in the new document was in the membership clause admitting organizations orga-nizations of sheep raisera to membership member-ship in the Wool Growers' association. associa-tion. The Committee on Credentials reported, re-ported, recommending that the ofllcial roster of membership be tho roll call of the convention, and that the representatives repre-sentatives of the association be allowed the full vote of their organizations. The report was adopted. When the adoption of the constitution constitu-tion as rend was put to a vole, it was sustained unanimously. V RANGE SHEEP INDUSTRY. The attention of the convention was then directed to the condition of tho range sheep Industry in the States of Arizona. California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana. Oregon, Washington and Utah. Representative sheep-raisers of these States gave brief reviews of the. conditlons in their respective States. These talks were devoted particularly to the public land question. The consensus con-sensus of opinion was that the Government, Gov-ernment, in setting aside eslen&lvc forest for-est resprves for the purpose of aiding irrigation and bettering natural water supplies, was going to the extreme and cutting down the ranges to an unwarranted un-warranted degree. The speakers asserted as-serted that the interests of the sheepmen sheep-men arc suffering, ami many arc being be-ing forced out of business by the infringement in-fringement on grazing Innris. While they admitted the necessity of preserving pre-serving the watersheds, they wore of the opinion that this end could be accomplished ac-complished and the interests of the sheepmen be taken care of at the same time. WHAT SHEEPMEN DESIRE. The action of the railroads in leasing leas-ing out public land grants for use as range ground was pointed out, and it was argued that the Government could do likewise, with profit to itself and to the inestimable benefit of the sheepmen. sheep-men. In a few words, the expressed desire of the sheepmen is thut the Government Gov-ernment shall adopt a broader and more liberal plan in relation to public lands. The sheepmen want permission to ui'o the reserves for grazing, subject sub-ject to such regulations as the Government Gov-ernment may see fit to adopt for the protection of the forest reserves. These views on the public land policy that should be adopted were given before the convention for the purpose of supplying sup-plying Informatoin as to tlie desires of wool-growers, to Prof. Gilford Plncholt and F. H. Newell, President Rooec-velt's Rooec-velt's commission appointed to consult con-sult with the stockmen on this matter. mat-ter. These representatives of the Government Gov-ernment were present. HITCHCOCK DESCRIBED! It was suggested that the relief sought by tho sheepmen would be attained at-tained could thej' secure the passage of the bill now pending in Congress transferring the executive ccuitrol of public lands to the Department of Agriculture Ag-riculture from the Department of the Interior. The argument was that the former department knows the nature of the lands and would work in harmony har-mony with the sheepmen. Secretary Hltchcoclc, of the Department of the Interior, was described as a man who would like to have a forest reserve with o. Chinese wall around It and all the Western men inside. Tlie convention conven-tion was urged to send a telegram to the Speaker of the House urging favorable fa-vorable action upon the bill. Resolutions expressing the desire of the convention for the passage of this bill were unanimously adopted and copies ordered ient to Congress. GOVERNMENT EXPLAINS. Prof. Glfford Pinchott, chief of the Bureau of Forestry, was introduced to ,lhe convention and explained the policy of the Government relative to public land, that It Is proposed to follow if the executive control of forest reserves is placed In the hands of the Department of Agriculture. He stated that The desires de-sires of the sheep men, as they have been expressed1 during the convention, will be met by the Government's policy. The Intention of the Government, Govern-ment, he said, la to permit the stockmen stock-men to use 1 the ranges under regulations regula-tions to be determined upon, so that exclusive ranges may be afforded law-abiding law-abiding sheep raisers for use so long as they observe the regulations for the protection of the reserves. He said the Government was ready to meet the sheep men and' make such agreements as will be to the benefit of all. WHY NEWELL WAS PRESENT. F. H. Newell stated that he was present pres-ent for the purpose of learning the views of the stockmen that he and his colleagues might decide upon and suggest sug-gest some policy to the President. Dr. Melvin of the Department of Animal Industry, told. of the efforts being be-ing made to prevent the spread of disease among sheep of different States. He urged co-operation between sheep men and ofllcluls of the department. The last order of business for the afternoon was the selection of an executive execu-tive committee composed of the presidents presi-dents of State organizations. SELECTION OF OFFICERS. While the convention has scarcely started, politics in the matter of officials offi-cials for the ensuing year and a place of meeting are beginning to be manifested. mani-fested. This activity Is not jdiowu so much in the matter of officers as with relation to a place of meeting, San Jo.va, Cal., Is doing much work In a cjulet way, and members of the delegation dele-gation from there express confidence In winning the next meeting. El Paso is also after the convention, and St. Joseph, Jo-seph, Mo., and Denver, Colo., are likewise like-wise In the field. The re-election of Senator F. E. Warren as president of the Wool-Growers' association Is practically prac-tically assured, but a forecast of the other officials at this time Is uncertain. |
