Finally railroads, long blocked by Indian troubles, now pushed forward again, breaking up the ranges, and bringing in the settlers. Stockmen were long bitter against these "nesters." True, stockmen did not own the range, but they had been there first, and most of them would have purchased their lands had not the homestead law forbidden them to do so. Besides, the stockmen felt the land was fit in many districts only for grazing. They were not only inhospitable to the settlers but in many instances took active measures to drive them out of the country. A movement of this sort was the famous Johnson county cattle war of 1892 when more than 5o armed men entered Johnson county in a body against the settlers and small cattle owners, some of whom they branded as "rustlers," while the settlers organized to resist them. Only two lives were sacrificed, owing to the inter vention of troops from Ft. McKinney at a decisive moment. It was one of the last struggles of the industry to keep its prestige. After that many big owners were forced out of business, and the country divided up among men with smaller outfits, who took no chances, but cut the hay in the bottom lands for winter feed. Thus began that combination of farming and stock-raising which still prevails and seems best fitted for the State.
With decline of cattle-raising, sheep raising began to increase. The first large herds reached the State in the latter '8os. A long feud was also waged between the cattle men and the sheepmen, for the sheepmen tried to force their way into ranges already occupied. Cattlemen claimed that cattle would not go where sheep had grazed, and that the sheep destroyed the range and polluted the water-holes. An imaginary "deadline" was drawn by the cattlemen beyond which sheep must not go.
Herders violated this arbitrary law at their own peril, for the annals of Wyoming record many cases where camps were burned and herds and herders both killed. As the sheepmen grew stronger these persecutions ceased, and when it was found that sheep were fully as profitable as cattle, public opinion sided with the sheep men. In politics the Republicans more frequently dominated until the Democrats under Roosevelt won the State in 1932 and 1936.
t important official State reports are the biennial ones of the treasurer, secretary of State, commissioner of public lands and farm loans, State geologist, board of equalization, department of education, board of charities and reform ; the bulletins of the University of Wyoming ; the yearly bulletin of the State depart ment of agriculture entitled Wyoming Agricultural Statistics; and the bulletins of the State geologist, bulletin No. 17 being a Bibliography and Index of Wyoming Geology
Miscellaneous Circular No. 28 of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture deals with the National Forests of Wyoming (1927). For history and Government: H. H. Bancroft, History of Nevada, Colorado and Wyoming (San Francisco, 189o) ; C. G. Coutant, History of Wyoming; G. R. Hebard, History and Gov ernment of Wyoming (San Francisco, 1919) ; Charles Lindsay, The Big Horn Basin (1932). F. Beard (ed.), Wyoming from Territorial Days to the Present (1933) ; John Clay, My Life on the Range (Chicago, 1924) ; A. H. Dixon and C. 0. Downing, Civil Government of Wyoming (Gillette, Wyo., 1926) ; Noel J. Breed, The Early Devel opments of the Wyoming Country 1743-1853 (5928) ; and publications of the Wyoming State historical department.