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Show IDAHO STOCKMEN PROTEST BILL Gem State Believes Group Will Get Control of Big Land Area BOISE. Idaho. Krb 25. Strong resolutions urglnir that President Harding veto House Hill No- 77. a land exchange bill, wore .idonted at a mooting moot-ing of Idaho stockmen here today. In j a spirited debate, charges and counter-, thargo.M were exchanged and at one point Governor L. YV. Davis of Idaho I entered tho debato with a suggestion for a special session of the Idaho legislature. legis-lature. Allegations worn made by speakers that If the bill became n law hundreds of thousands of acre el Idaho land would paes Into control of few men. HOMER FKN NAMED The bill was characterized as a camouflaged measure whose real purpose pur-pose was hidden under a proposal to square off thf boundaries of three northern Idaho nitlonal forests by exchanging for the forest lands grazing graz-ing Innds In other Darts of the state. Speakers charged that Fred W ; 1- Ing, James R. Clinton an Idaho sheep operator and Homer Kenn. formerly of the United States forestry service, had secured an ontlon from the North - 'm r.icifio railroad on title to 260,000 acres of the lands to be exchanged If t he bin became law. All of the men nxun'Joned were present pres-ent at today's meetlnir and discus .1 tho bill with other stockmen The debate at times was filled with a rl- monv GOVERNOR MAKES OFFER Governor lavls, appearing after tho holders of the ontlon had Innlsted they would dlsoost- of the land coming Into their oossesslon on equitable terms to all stockmen rather han use It to their own advantage, made this offer : "If Mr. Goodlnsr and his associate will agree to asslun their option, I will call a special session of the legislature legis-lature to obtain the lands, make the exchanges and pass such a law as Is necessarv to allow for distribution of the lieu lands bv the state land department de-partment thereby t'lvlng overybody an opportunity to iret these lands The profits of the aale, transfer or exchange ex-change of public rionvaln belong to tho people of the commonwealth and not to Individuals or a small group of Individuals " Stock operators Interested In Nevada and Oregon ranges also declared the bill, if permitted to become a law, I will open the door for similar exchange ex-change ,,f large quantities of railroad scrip lands tn other states. |