Salt Lake Tribune | 1914-03-06 | Page 1 | Takes Issue with Secretary M'clure

TIES ISSUE lid SECREIlMfCIM Representative Johnson Precipitates Pre-cipitates Warm Debate Before Be-fore Lands Committee. Special to Tho Tribune. WASHINGTON, March 3. Challeng-iug Challeng-iug tho statements made by Secretary McCluro of Salt Lake, socrctary of the National "Wool growers' association, beforo be-foro the houso committee on public lands, at its hearing on tho ICent grazing graz-ing lease bill, Itopresentativo Johnson precipitated a warm discussion over public land mattors in Utah and the west. Sccrotary McClure made tho statement that there were practically uo remaining public lands in Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Montana and Wyoming fit for agriculture; tnat tho average rainfall in this territory was prohibitive prohibi-tive of agricultural success, and that only about 25 per cont of the entries binder the 120-aere law were really bona fido, the others being largely mado by speculators or "migrator' misfits" who hope to sell out to tho big stock men later. Johnson challenged these statements and pointed to tho successful dry farm colonies in Juab, Sanpoto, San Juan and other counties in Utati. He declared de-clared more and more arens in Utah wore being taken up under the 320-acro law by those who aid so with tho solo idea of making a home, and not for speculative purposes, and said it was his belief thero wcro still thousands of acres of land in Utah to bo made productive pro-ductive under dr" farming. IIo challenged chal-lenged tho statement that 75 per cent of Utah entrymen were of tho class described de-scribed by Secretary McClure, asserting assert-ing that in his opinion not one in a hundred were actuated by any motive other than to make a homo.