AMERICA TO-DAY.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 234, 26 April 1928, Page 1

AMERICA TO-DAY.

CONDITIONS IN “THE WILD WEST.” Members of the Legacy Club, Melbourne,‘were entertained recently by a description of conditions in the west of the United States, given by Professor W. A. Osborne, professor of physiology at the University of Melbourne. His subject was “ Adventures in the Wild West of America.” Professor Osborne said that there was a certain similarity in the development of Australia and that of America. Where the similarity stopped was that whereas Australia had developed in a more or less orderly manner, America had developed in a turmoil of fighting and bloodshed. There was a popular belief that the west of America was still the turbulent, wild country that it was in the last century. He had recently made a visit to America, and would like to give his impressions of “ the wild west.”

When he arrived at Dodge City—“the wickedest town in Western America ” —tile most interesting happening of his stay there was an iegg-lay-ing competition. “At Cheyenne, where the genuine rodeos are still held, I was present at a meeting of business men of the city,” said Professor Osborne. “ The convener of the meeting pleaded with tears in his eyes that these business men should wear ‘ chaps ’ and carry ‘ six-guns ’ about the city. He said that tourists expected to see the citizens of Cheyenne attired in this manner, and if they were disappointed the city would lose much of its popularity. On the next day numbers of respectable business men were seen in the streets wearing Tom Mix costumes and firing blank cartridges into the air.”

Professor Osborne added that in the so-called “ bad lands ” of Wyoming he had visited the homestead of a man who had bragged all the time during his visit of the fine merino shdep he had brought from Australia. As Professor Osborne was leaving, this man pointed out to him with pride a newlypatented sheep dip, which he had also bought in Australia. Professor Osborne said that we should not judge America by New York or by the American newspapers. The backbone of America was the agricultural industry, and the agriculturists were a hard-working and earnest class.