Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 3.djvu/248

238 with the horses or herds of other owners. This brings owners and their employees to agree, upon set times, to co-operate in what are called "round-ups," that is, driving all stock of the same kind to a common center agreed upon, where each owner "cuts out' what he claims as his, and puts his brand on the young he finds for the first time. Of course there are large opportunities for mistakes, and for misappropriations, and with the most honest intentions contentions arise. The farther horses and cattle spread over a given range the greater the opportunity for theft, and as the very occupation tends to recklessness it becomes a school for crime, of which the horse ranging interest will show the greatest proportion for the number employed and the cattle interest the next most numerous. It is not claimed that sheep owners and their employees are immaculate, but the occupation of a herder is that of a protector. It is supposed, and is generally true, that a good shepherd has his flock within his sight every waking hour. In truth and justice, however, it must be said that it was cattle raisers who first acted on the perception that the only way for any grazing interest to peaceful, progressive success is ownership or legal control of the land necessary to support the stock kept. Some of those who have most conspicuously succeeded secured their ample holdings under the swamp and overflowed land law passed by the Oregon legislature subsequent to a similar law enacted in California, from which the Oregon law was copied, and it was the Glens and Frenches, who were really citizens of California, who were among the chief beneficiaries of the Oregon law.

The late John Devine grew very wealthy from cattle grazing in the Harney-Lake region, but he is understood to have been a citizen of Oregon and was a highly respected man. From the beginning of sheep keeping in Oregon as a range stock interest it was found well adapted to