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Show ADVANTAGES OF IM RANGE CONTROL MM wl ,( 4T1IH tC P. W'antland before Catllo-Orowcrs' Association, Dtnverl One of the best arguments in favor of rango rontrol was made by the Secretary of Agilculturo tn hla report for 18i, In which he said I have looked ciircfullv Into tho renill ttnns of tlm ranges In mom of the Slates west of the MlnMiurl rlvir Ihe Depart mrnt of Agriculture Ins been t otultlcllng experiments In most of these Slutis Willi native slid Imported glasses, thrnilcli the experiment stations, pllvuto Individuals an 1 sometimes under the illreit nunai.i ment of Its own officers Injudicious fTnzIng has greatly Impaired tlm tapac-tv tapac-tv of Uie ranges to prodiuo incuts l are-fill are-fill Inqulrj shows that In miny eases the ranges do not support more than half lho meat bearing animals liny dl t ten jearn ago Thi-so ranges have I eon ovei-stockisl ovei-stockisl 'lho grasiirs Ao been itllen biro and pulled out hj the roots Where formerly nutritious grass supported a laign numlier uf unhnals, tin re Is now left nothing but a desert of drirtlng sand lho principal ronton for this londltlon of ihe ranges Is undoubtedly thnt 110 etn-Blo etn-Blo individual has nn Interest In any urn part of tho public domain The object of the flock msstir Is 10 secure nil the grass possible, Irrespective of lho effect It nny havo on tho future condition of the pasture pas-ture Ihnusinds of sheep that e intiot llnd grazing nn tho plains urn being la ken Into ihe Innermost recesses of the moiinluln sjstems It would setm wise to lnauctlinto a more sensible 1 ollcy reKiirdlng these puo Ho crazing lands The slioul 1 bn rented to individuals In suflldeutlv lirge arias and for a sufficiently long tlmo to Induce the lejsrea to ulvo attention to their Improvement Im-provement Tho title should rimnlu In lho United States so that lho homesteader homestead-er mlaht have nn 01 nortunlls under such conditions ns vvoiihl not Intcrfero wllh tho renting to muko seltlenunu when- .irr nrnrllc ihtp In ndvocntlng lind leasing beforo the Fort Worth convention In 1900, 1 quoted this nnd nsked "Will this convention call lho Secietary ot Agriculture Agri-culture either a Hat or a. fool?" I re-pest re-pest the question now. The Tort Worth convention adopted the following, Resolved, That such of Ihe publlo Ian ls of the United Slates ns nro udiuted for grazing should bo subject to lenso by stockmen, who nre rlllrens, nt 11 reasona-blo reasona-blo rental, und undir such conditions ns villi tend lo preserve Ihe prnsses from destruction, and Improve (ho valuo uf tho grusbes thereon Von all remember tho opposition which followed tho notion of tho Poit Worth convention. It drew tho lire, as somo of un hoped It would. It brought to light tho fncts concerning the wholo situation. It scared politicians politi-cians Into declnilng they vvcia all unalterably un-alterably opposed to any pt ins for leasing leas-ing tho publlo domain, nnd tho Clov-ernors Clov-ernors of the Western Stntes In convention con-vention nt Silt Lake wero bulldoze 1 Into declaring that tho existing publlo land laws wero all right. Hut a grc it change of sentiment la now noticed Only two years havo passed nnd hundreds of lho very men who opposed nil plans of control nro now oulspoken In favor of Inimediatn notion. Ihe Secietary of grlculture, In bis reci nt lepoit, renews his recommendations recommenda-tions for lease control Tho object lessons les-sons provided by forest reservo rcgu-litlnns rcgu-litlnns nro hiving nn erfect Tho president of tho Colorado t'ottlo Glowers' association sild In his addiess jesterdij: "iour executive board has been at work trying to device some pliu by which Ihe vexed question of land leasing miy forever for-ever bo put to rest 1 am pleased lo notice no-tice that much of tho Intense, hitler feel-Ing feel-Ing nn this qumtlnn has subaldnl and leaser and antl leader aro now discussing the question In a splitt nt falrmsH untl with nn honest Intention to solvo tho question If possible for lho best Interests of the entire Industrj. I nssert without fear of successful contradiction thit more than 75 per cent of tho stockmen of lho West today to-day aio In favor of a radical rhungo In tho situation, and will fnvoi any plan they believe to bo fair. They know the tangos nro being dim iged, und under present conditions cannot bo Unproved. They also know that tho people of the enllro country nro waking up to the Importance of the wholo public pub-lic land question, und unless tho ranges aro put under control quickly by ni-tlon ni-tlon of stockmen themselves. It will bo done hy other Interests, possibly on a basis not so satisfactory to lho stock owners. Aro object lessons and Illustrations needed In favor of tho advantages of rango control? In October. 1900 a bulletin wns pub-Halted pub-Halted by the National Llvc-Stnik assoclitlon, giving tho Australian land laws, under which tho niugn problems in that country had been satisfactorily solved many years ago Texas has bad leao laws for many years and tho Tnxns stockmen 11 ml tax pa j era who object to them ato few and far between. Texas baa under leiso nbout llOOOOOO acres and received about $500,000 pei yeni In rentals from Ihls sourco. Sho boasts of a magnificent school fund, the great fcaturo of which Is the revenue from her ginzlng lands, us one-half of nil the hiazlug lands of tho State wero set npart by constitutional provision foi school purposes Many of the conditions found In Texas nre similar to the conditions In some of our publlo land States In districts whero fanning Is leaslble lenses nic mndo subjeit tn homesteid entry, and tho homesteader has tho right to run within tho leased pastilles a proporllonnto number ot cattle Driveways aro provided, and most of the objections usually brought agulnst nil lease plans heie have been successfully suc-cessfully met In that State, In Wjomlng the uniiunl levcnuo for leases of landa owned hy the Stnto Is on a bisls of nenrly J150 000 per jear, nnd the applications uro on hnnd for many millions of acres which cinnnt be supplied Small owners nro moro anxious to secure lenses than largo ones. In Colorado moro than a million acres of Stnto lands 1110 undei lease, producing un annual levcnuo of ubout 1100 000, about 2(100 000 moro nie owned but are not leased nt nil Do lho lessees of state land think It Is of no advantage lo control these lando? If so, why do thej not drop them? In Colorado, Wyoming u.nd, pjjjer public land Stntes, the best use cannot iltKM iVllliH be made nt school lands, because they ,y "iy-a ItftliH are disconnected MiVi; vw!B((((((((((((((1 If the publlo Onvernment lands wero tWvJ'Jl'h ElasH under control, more school lands could nkfi " 1 llfjH he leased und greater revenue would ufe-VVy 't nlasH be sciured for lho support of educn- flRfSy lUltH (lonal Institutions A light against Vifuq ' UH control of publlo lands Is therefnro a 'iifiibt I U(S(((((((H flrht ngnlnit Ihe schools ot tho State, SWelff ! leiH nnd stockmen will do well tn remember ari(iri ! uiH thnt taxpnjrrs generally nro beginning "t,iT''c' Hlttttttttttttl to tumble to this situation. "it'll'!: I K (((ttttH Hundreds or stockmen nlnng the Una ttlifiS ') , irlH of the Nntthern l'nelllo and Union l'n- 'WS' Ids J Jfll clHc rnllrnids, who far jears opposed 'I4UiVj! Ml all leasing plans, havo tried and now iHjjBtt 1 '-(j'H favor leaso control j29l'r UUfLH During the past few months in Car- JMhfXMJ 9 hnn nnd Sweetwnter counties, Wyo , as IMIifC lo uflB soclnllans havo been formed unions ff'SS JF' il-S HB (ffl sheepmen who hnvo leased from tho -Wliai J I $ Bl (ffftl I'nlon I'm I tic about 1000 000 acres of eMlft lilll desert lands winter range tho hardest K$w) J Bl class of I ind to lunillo beciuso thero Is avKt(ifp L ra &S practically no water nvallahla and the VtVM iLl !BfH sheep havo to depend upon enow. sr1ie 1 IHIh They lnvo orguulzed thoroughly jX BCi, Ulij .BMH among (hemsclvcs, Issued licenses to i'JemiM nH their herders, emplojcd rango riders IsSlBSl'' i 'IN (ffftl nnd handle tho business on a business ivtwr' I MtH basis 'lho expense Is slight nnd they Swrihi IieHh havo something they can depend upon, IkpjVltVt ' ' (laH the grnssos inn he saved because they isWcMl ' il(((((((l can limit the number of stuck to tho jKnB ! J((((((B capiclty of tho land. HH ' JH This action w 19 forced upon them IMSlS ! ,.jHHI hy tho condlllons which hnd been 1KB I 3 1HH gradually growing worse nnd the dan- 'JHSn I I $ (iHfl gers ft tun loss which wero constantly Sln lf ill Increaslm-. lfMlPll r 4 : ilBfH I lnvo tho stockmen of uny other (mi V HS! State or dlstilct nny right lo protest '9HI(u ' IIBsi against the W joining men taking steps iSHB 1 f lIHsi to prntict themsilves? 'BBB fltP (sH! Thousands of Individuals nil over 'SRffi ' hH the West will testify that pastures un- BjjsMMr ' M RHh der control will support a gi eater num- liBV i II11S MBA ber of cattle 01 sheep than publlo an I HI It IgnBBJ uncontrolled lunges nnd greater actual 1SsV 1 IraHBBa profits enn ho ptoved In handling Btock "Wfw TCuHfl In Buch cases. jX f j BSluBBl '& m t mSHI The dimcuKy In tho vvny of leaso iflB Br lUlBfl plans his been so great that many .B 13; coBttBl small ovvneiB nnd Homo largo owners (HI S)'" MUjBBl have been ufrald tn ndvocato any XS 14 fjiiBBl chance. The difficulties uro great and iBfi TR lHH are (.rowing gieuler becnuso uf tho .SB aTHIIBBl abuse uf the public lnnd laws, tho iJB FF liflrVj murders nnd conflicts on the ranges. Jam W "1 JflSifl and (ho failure or slnckmen tn get to- iQx i rlwHI ge(her and settle their troubles upon W ' ' 'wHl some basis fair tu both largo and ,J3l '-"1 ' 'JllBa small stockmen General Timidity wl T rlBBl never won 11 battle. Thi re la intelll- isB '"' 'tUl gencc enough In tho West tn meet this 3W ,V 'HI Issue to tho ndvantugo ot all con- JsBiV ' hDBj cerned -lB3P 1 'UBj Tho small stock owner with 1C0 acres wi 1 5)1 tlBBj has no certalntj of keeping his share iWmksVj 1 JiVBl of the griss outside of his claim. Some- MHFSwt 1 llBBj body whose home Is many miles away 1?BfiBri'E. J 44BBI has nn equal right to It ''CMlTF wBBl Uncle bam ought to Hnd out some- 'Wri I (BBl thing definite about the differences In HKi(iLt .LaWJ conditions In the different States nnd 'Be :mM,i !( the pirhllc lands ought to be classl- a!I nVVi JJ H fled. W'l 1 re stockmen need protection IflW Ih, 1 1? HI from Intolerable conditions, und ask IHflK in J 1-3 for It, they ought to ba allowed to (nBPi ti 'V'imW have the relief needed. aUP t A i To Insist further upon putting a llflrT .ife.'lc f RBJ square plug In a round liolo nnd a . riS! ?''. ,t; 4: round plug In ii tquaie liolo is not ,Mlt iW'llmm proHtable. "SH '11 . i1?! fliif, 41HB At a recent meeting of the Western Hbt? it r:X .ImMM Nebraska Stock-tlrowers' . association hull' ft MiJBbBI at All! euro Ihe following whs adopted: 'slf lB 'mBBB It. snivel, -mat It Is the sense ot this Eii? tie Jl&liiHHl mettlng that In view of ihe prohills re- D-.j(y 'OltffHBBl mnval of fences nn novernment domain. tq3, i.ri'HrTOlHlBl wo uro In favor of (he lenelng ot lho li f W IhSBJ public linds In such manner nnd under Br.T "A il- vtlrltBi suth restrictions us will protect tho small 'flits ', ,, TlljRIBl stock growers ua well as the larger tipvjf ) 'i&SJBfl owner. ini , 'ffMimm If tho Western Nebraska people, 'J1 SlwiBl whose conditions aro different f-om . M a, rvl'illfflfflBBI the conditions In other States, can i:.'fiJJp tPtCHII agree upon a fair plan for range con- -ft i J, ' I'SilM trol In their State to protect their Ti.'V 1' It 'wJffBl Interests from destruction why not K iMwHl allow them to have It7 Why should fl , i:jt mIkBJ tho stockmen of Colorado, Wyoming 'j if Mil i BUM or Idaho play dog In the manger and icTMS ffivi ffiKLI ii Tw, HUH Among tho hardest points to bo t,. S i.'" IMU overromo In tho whole mlxiin ls the if, 5 irHMfaBj argument of tho small stock owner, 'Vim ti Bm9 that ho vvuntR the open range because o,a v 'isU IWKS he wants tn expand and to also becomo $ -fJ. jJEnflBJ a big stock ownei, fin 3 "fli WjUHH Wo answer that piesent condlllons inf I: f t'iwa$M with riingn conllkts and the abuse ot JM n , fl'BitCSS the land liws nro uipldly putting tho R h r ,' llxiW open rnngo lu such shapo I hut ho ls Iyt i. I'VriaHHI not snfo lu counting upon tha ad- &,t,KVam vantago ho appears to possess, und ftV,..k ' sW'.WWm that controlled langes will enablo him 'Mft MvBM tn support morn stock that ho can un- Sm's 'i'l Xtlffil der other conditions He must also VUirAf, rUimmt keep In mind tho great and controlling; Ejp S t "Vlt iSltatM fact that Unclo Sim means to dispose eSjjf , ii-J'iKlH ot tho publlo lands for tho greatest 'te-ffcrnf ' .H'bJBB benellt of all the people: thnt In tlm 1WSSlio1fl('filfH prnlrlo Btntes, whlth wero built up hy S ' $),wKWWtm the homestead law, and In the farm- 'YBh L'ffinK'ffijH Ing districts, within Indlun reserva- ti LS JiK MijHlTMl tlnns, which nro being thrown open f fptflcntCljliilMl graduillj a lGO-ncrc truct la tho limit ifl ffjrU'.?, afcH for nnj ono Individual Wi'M','i'iMirU Whyf Ilnnuse (hut Is supposed to AL awSffllipTotBI be enough to enable him to maku a J If 22Sh11B1 living for himself nnd family It would rvt fV EBP. IKcBl bo Just us icasonnhle In such a state -Jriif iJeBS ffffl to expect un uddlllonal tract to b !sMl' fl.Il"! I'kUMl withheld from some other honest set- B-j9 J&oJ ,IHB tier to enablo settler number 1 to use (Mil' K&n! Dftlifl It later oil. to cnvblo hint tu expind, ifill ffltiui nflTnnBI as It Is now to expect to have with- 'ill YT"F lilinH held from use uf someone else lnnd In ct(3 VW& Ulicfl the grazing districts In ordci tn allow villi VRmI E.r9 rancher number 1 to expand his op- 11TI4I iklEH4KcNkl orations from the conditions necessary i'ttSlf PpiMfJSwB tn mnko a living foi himself and fain. ,!k,, jM IBH Uy to tho condition of a big stockman 5 J; ft TlfilMfiilOBl with wealth uud stiengtll enougli td ""Vv iraWKflB enable him to crowd samo other foor 9fcju ILllslyBl fellow who wants a chahca to get a (f'iRiS 'ItlsVilBl small homo free. I'lMrfi Osf iKmV Tho livestock owners of tho West y$ufi 'vNnUI now have a friend In Washington. That 'ii&'li iTrffffWI f 1 lend knows the Wost nnd knovvsiths lTffia'lfiSlWl dllllculllcs and tlska eiicountcted by mttKiJx&Mlm tho men who inlso tuttlo nnd sheep IBjXariBvrnl 1 and ho Is willing tn do all In his power MBXVinHlB to assist In putting tho livestock In- IHlICnillll dustry uf tho West on a sura and safe Mil MOT rl batds HSaswttBilPHifl a 1 1 Western stockmen do not now hav e 1 IHHIslf sr.-. plain ordinary horFcsense enough to. UtmwmSinim get together and push to success tho' IUeUUEK9R proper ineuaurc; tQ eecuro ttjo rallej;' MHfMKlB H UH H 111! co ted surclv soon sot I tt i rr it 1 ' i) mo must be taken wttlioit mi nt B , J ,nt XVestern stupidity mil bo rospon H ' i?) ..i,i or tuiure troubles If range ,on H j flirt nn1 destruction are allowed t H 1 U lontlnue |