|
<br />000209
<br />
<br />:"i;},':':?"':f~t"
<br />
<br />;-.:'.
<br />'>
<br />
<br />"r....... ,,,,'
<br />
<br />'-:"'.
<br />
<br />':""1
<br />
<br />- .~,~"
<br />
<br />GRASS, CREAKING WAGONS, TRAILING LONGHORNS 37
<br />
<br />, . . .,......"......
<br />,~..\~.\. <.: ;.'
<br />
<br />?t~~~r~
<br />
<br />. '"" ,
<br />
<br />year. Thus neither the cattle association, the local government,
<br />or the federal authorities could solve the problem.
<br />
<br />Lack of winter feed and overgrazing, not the terrible bliz-
<br />zard of 1888, destroyed the big scale cattle business. The spec-
<br />tacular storm at that time simply slammed shut the books of
<br />an already bankrupt industry,
<br />
<br />The Indian was by nature a conservationist. None of the
<br />bison was allowed to go to waste. He killed and fished for use
<br />only':. His tepee was a marvel of efficiency. From the viewpoint
<br />of utility, protection, air conditioning and mobility we chal-
<br />lenge a modern engineer to improve its design. It should be
<br />noted that the career of the Indian race as a haphazard nomad
<br />was short as compared to the long career as an agrarian living
<br />peacefully and thriftily in settle villages, a hero by choice in
<br />all his endeavors and achievements to the entire village and the
<br />stranger in his hut.
<br />
<br />The white settler, especially the head of a family unit, was
<br />correct in his attitude toward conservation, and the walls of all
<br />our state, capitols laud the pioneer man and woman by statue
<br />and mural.. The family-size layout, is the bulwark of conser-
<br />vation, Overgrazing and erosion by wind and water are things
<br />to be avoided and to be considered a hazard by the entire fam-
<br />ily. And although by an odd quirk of nature the hazard of over-
<br />grazing must first be spotted on land rather than by any shrink-
<br />age in cattle condition, nevertheless, these hazards are easily
<br />recognized, and unlike cash crop farming, are not even tem-
<br />porarily profitable.
<br />
<br />In today's gigantic Missouri Valley development program
<br />the rancher who has his layout among the upper tributaries of
<br />the river occupies and will always continue to occupy with his
<br />multiplied stock water dams a major position of trust and re-
<br />sponsibility.
<br />
<br />There have been strange seeds sprouted in unusual places
<br />
<br />"," "';""'.
<br />
<br />'.,
<br />
<br />:;'::}<>:"',\:~'I
<br />
<br />. ":: .... ~ :.",- ;. ,:.:' ",
<br />',", .., .",:' I
<br />
<br />. ",<-c,'::;,;';'::::',", ;'1
<br />." ,~~ ':.' .:::::.~ .-:~
<br />
<br />:..;..... :.'
<br />
<br />-.'. "I
<br />",'..,1
<br />...:..~.~. ~..;' ~< Or.' '>:"'.
<br />,'.. :. - "... . ;'. . ,; "~ .
<br />
<br />.".; ".': ,"
<br />-" '.'
<br />.'."
<br />".co:.':'. . ..1
<br />:":,,:,:' ;,,:,- ~:::~'~;.'I
<br />
<br />.....
<br />
<br />. .. '..,':. ..:~.'
<br />
<br />iX":i.,';:;;.~~':";~:-.j;:.,1
<br />
<br />. : "'::.; e,':~"":;-" ;:-" .:;'
<br />
<br />: .;'f:<"',~::;;}~J:: I
<br />!~~~~~~:!;
<br />
<br />;:':\':. . .:.: :'>..: .:. <::': .'~'~~~ ;'.~:.~}
<br />
<br />. '. .~'. . "':: '. :.:.<-:>:.:. '
<br />, ::..:.<. ...... '. :."
<br />
<br />:G2~ti;,:~;(
<br />
<br />. -. .
<br />.-;...' ...... ""-.':.
<br />:........ .;.' '.
<br />',:. .:.:.-...'.'
<br />
<br />....
<br />. . ,-' -."'.
<br />. .. :~,:.;; .:: . .".;:' ::.'. " .
<br />.,;'<<:"-,"'::.,~;-;"I
<br />
|