Letters To The Editor

Dear Sir,
I am glad that Buck (the dog) survived and the cost was minimal compared to what I spent on my "wolf-hybrid" when she got sick. But to the Humphrey family, they need to get a life and learn to respect life.

Anybody who has had dogs knows that any dog is territorial and will attack another "dog" or what it thinks is a dog, so I would imagine that Buck started the fight (two males and one female). No, I really don't believe him when he said that he felt that his family was in danger. If he checked into it, he would have found out that these wolves have been in and out of captivity to keep people like him from murdering them and causing their extinction.

Basically, my message to Mr. Humphrey is for him to get a life and to practice his religion, especially the commandment, "Thou shalt not kill." Mr. Humphrey, did you forget that????

Terri Russell
Indiana
Via E-mail

(Editor’s note: This letter refers to the July 30 Livestock Weekly article about Richard Humphrey, who shot one of the federal government’s re-introduced Mexican wolves after it attacked his dog and advanced on his family. Ms. Russell apparently believes Humphrey should have waited until the wolf’s jaws were clamped on his wife’s neck or that of one of his daughters before passing judgement on the beast’s intentions. Her admonition to "get a life" is a good one, if somewhat tired and overused these days. We suspect, however, that she is directing it at the wrong people. By all appearances, Richard Humphrey has a full and satisfying life — and thanks to his decisive action, he still has a complete and healthy family.)

Dear Sir,
Much has been said about the endorsement of Comptroller John Sharp over Agriculture Commissioner Rick Perry in the Lt. Governor's race by Texas Farm Bureau's political action arm, AGFUND. The state's largest general farm organization has been accused of turning its back on one of agriculture's own.

Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, it might be said that Commissioner Perry puts the interests of the Republican Party over the interests of agriculture. His partisan approach to politics is just one of the reasons the AGFUND board decided to endorse Sharp.

Let me give you a good example. In Perry's first campaign for the agriculture seat in l990, Democrat Sen. Bill Sims, a rancher and executive secretary of the Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Association, crossed party lines to support Republican Perry. Four years later, Perry actively campaigned for Sims' Republican opponent. Perry also campaigned against State Rep. Bob Turner of Voss, another Democrat and another true friend of agriculture. With increasing urbanization of Texas, those in state government that understand farming and ranching are a distinct minority. Sounds to me like Perry put on his Republican cowboy hat and favored the Grand Old Party instead.

Even putting Perry's partisanship aside, Sharp would be the better choice for Lt. Governor. Perry has been an adequate, but not outstanding, Commissioner of Agriculture. Sharp, on the other hand, has been an outstanding State Comptroller. And his record of accomplishment as state representative, state senator, and railroad commissioner gives him the background for this important job.

The decisions of Texas Farm Bureau start with me as a member and then progress through the county, district, and state level. How could any organization be more "grass rooted" than the Texas Farm Bureau?

The AGFUND board of directors looked beyond party labels when they decided to endorse John Sharp for Lt. Governor. Instead they picked the best man for the job.

Gary McGehee
Mertzon, Texas

Dear Sir,
I am a fourth generation farmer and rancher in Central Texas; as such, I would like to express my strong support for Rick Perry. Perry is a man who has led the state in the agriculture industry for the last seven years.

Rick Perry has aggressively promoted the Texas cattle industry, both in the United States and abroad. During his tenure as Agriculture Commissioner, total beef exports from Texas have risen 25 percent and the number of beef cattle moving through TDA export pen facilities has jumped 60 percent. Perry has also helped market beef to Mexico, Thailand, Venezuela, and for the first time ever to Israel. Because of those efforts and his effective leadership on private property fights and international trade, I support Rick Perry's bid to become Lieutenant Governor of Texas.

I believe, like a majority of rank and file agriculture producers, that Rick Perry will take agriculture to the next level as Lieutenant Governor. Whether you are a farmer, rancher or you live in the city, as a Texan I urge you to support Rick Perry's positive vision of safe streets, better schools, and economic opportunity for all Texans.

Jim Schwertner
President, CEO, Capitol Land & Livestock
Schwertner, Texas

Dear Sir,
Thanks for your editorial of July 23, 1998. Your readers need to be informed about what is really going on with the NCBA and our beef check-off dollars. We are literally being sold down the river by these so-called leaders of ours, that are clearly representing big business and not the grassroots cowman. We have been fed so much of their propaganda, it is sickening!

Thank you for shedding light on this fraternal Washington group and letting your readers know who the NCBA is really representing — the packers!

Sam Britt
Grenville, New Mexico