The Cattleman's Pages of History

We have now started the 104th year of publication of The Cattleman magazine. Each month, we take a few minutes to look back in history to find the interests of cattle raisers at the time. We have reprinted the text of these items as they appeared in the issue. Any additional comments from the editor appear in brackets.

11-Nov-1917
February 1918

The United States was at war, and The Cattleman cover printed the following statement from James Callan, president of the Cattle Raisers Association of Texas [now TSCRA, 1909-1911, 1916-1919]:

➤ “Our country has joined hands with the Democracies of the world in fighting for peace, liberty and freedom from Prussianism [the practices and doctrines of the Prussians; specifically, the despotic militarism and harsh discipline traditionally associated with the Prussian ruling class]. Our boys are now at the front. We must mobilize our Army of Food Producers and perfect plans to supply meats for our fighting forces and our Allies.

“I urge every patriotic cattleman in the Southwest to unite with us at Dallas, Texas, March 19, 20 and 21, in planning for the accomplishment of the task before us.”

➤ Everyone was urged to do their part in the war effort. Knowing that American and Allied troops needed food and supplies, meatless and wheatless days were urged on the American people. In the Livestock Outlook column, cattlemen were told that “Now, the meatless and wheatless days do not merely save meat and wheat. They are the symbols of general saving. They are a pledge on the part of the people to economize all along the line to help in the war. They make people think about the duty of sacrifice. They teach and preach patriotism. To abandon these days of doing without would have a very bad moral effect on the whole people. I am sure the farmers as a class will never ask the Government to do that.”

James Callan, past president of the Cattle Raisers Association of Texas (now TSCRA)

11-nov-1967_cmyk
February 1968

The Cattleman cover showed a painting by Charles M. Russell. “This famous watercolor depicts a social gathering of cowboys. Russell wrote a poem for the painting in which he expressed friendship for everyone gathered for the party except the fellow who rode there on the bicycle.”

➤ Lasater Beefmasters announced via their February ad that they were “sold out until 1969” — all their Beefmasters available for sale in 1968 had been contracted. However, potential buyers were assured that frozen semen was available from top herd sires.

➤ Then, as now, cattlemen saw the value of working together to accomplish their common goals. At the annual convention of the Nevada State Cattle Association, John H. Guthrie, president of the American National Cattlemen’s Association, warned that “The beef cattle industry must be tightly bound together in cohesive, dedicated organization or the industry, as we know it, will perish.”

He continued, “We don’t have much choice, we cannot continue as individuals pitted against individuals, areas competing wildly with other areas… [Several factors] have combined to bring more progress in recent months toward organized effort by stockmen than in any other period of history.”

The “Pages of History” is excerpted monthly from The Cattleman magazine. Join today to start your subscription.

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