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Show STOCK-RAISERS AIR DIFFERENCES Cattle and Sheep-Raisers MaKe Charges and Confessions; Con-fessions; Roosevelt for Government Control. 1 11- 1 WASHINGTON, Feb. 12. The Government Gov-ernment policy in regard to the control con-trol of grazing land in the public domain do-main and the Interests of large and small cattlemen and the sheepmen and the effect of . protection of stockmen upon the homesteaders were considered veUnlay at a public hearing before the ry Committee on Agriculture. The hing was held.on an amendment by Senator Bnrkett 'of Nebraska to the Agricultural Appropriation bill, authorizing au-thorizing the secretary of Agriculture to district the. unreserved land and eharge and collect reasonable fees for grazing. The cattlemen were repre-. repre-. sented by members of the American National Livestock association, who favored the -measure, while the sheepmen, sheep-men, represented by members of the National Woolgro we're' association, opposed op-posed it. The cattlemen and sheepmen criticised criti-cised each other and defended their own motives. The cattlemen made no defense of the charges that they had been violators of the law, and the sheepmen asserted that it was necessary neces-sary for fencers of public lands to make their peace with the Government Govern-ment or "they would be convicted if ever brought to trial." A. E. Dericqueles of the Ameriesn National Livestock association outlined out-lined the position of the cattlemen in favor of the Government control and then called upon individual csttlemen for statements. J. M. Beardman of Helena, Mont., asserted that every cattleman cat-tleman had violated laws in regard to fencing. 'Whv, if you want to get the list of violators, just take the membership of the cattlemen's association;'' associa-tion;'' he-aaid. 'ilncluding yourself!" asked Chairman Proctor. "Yes, but I bav taken my fences down." replied Mr. Beardman. He added that he had fallen intr political disfavor and could no longer get favoritism. fa-voritism. T. W. Gray of Gunnison, Colo., spoke on the leasing system, in order topro-tect topro-tect small raisers of cattle in Colorado, Colo-rado, against Utah sheep raisers bringing bring-ing in large flocks thst quickly reduce ranges to a condition where cattle starve. ""We have to fight these sheep-reeu sheep-reeu or get nothing," he said. rWnich do you do!" asked Senator if:? YAsk the, criminal courts of Colo raVoX'. replied Mr. Gray. A letter from President Boosevelt to ' 8enator Warren of Wyoming, of which the following is an extract, was resd: It Is unlawful at present to fence the public domain. All fences unlawfully maintained will have to be taken down. Unless CongTess takes action to legalise reasonable and necessary fenrtnf through Govern ment control of the range, there will be a very serious loss to stockmen throughout the West, whose business In very many cases cannot be conducted without fencing, and this loss will often fall hardest on the small man. I cannot consent to a clause contlnu-' contlnu-' Ing for a year, or for any length of time, the present Illegal fencing. The utmost I will consent to. to far as my power 'extends In the matter of legislation, t0 continue such fences, as In my judgment It Is right and proper for me to eonttnue. My first care is for the homesteader and the small stockmen- Tpe opposition we have to our proposal Tiow cornea primarily from the big men who graae wandering flocks of Sheep and who do not promote the real aettleroent of the country. These men re the men whose Interests are diametrically diamet-rically hostile to those of th home-mak- rs who wish to eat out and destroy the country, where be desires permanence; to Uva and who. when they- hava thus ruined the land of the homesteader and amall stockman, move elsewhere to re- ! peat the process of devastation. Many of the '. Sheepmen who are permanent dwellers sympathise with our movement. Others, unfortunately, sympathise with their nomadic brothers, the u'U-nate re- suit of whose actions is to destroy the country. |