Smyrna times., 1882-12-27
The Western Land Question.

The monopoly of large sections of
land in the West for grazing has been
felt as growing burden in proportion
as the country has been settled. The |
cattle ranches of Wyoming, Montana
and Northern Colorado, the sheep
ranges of the middle section of the
latter State, and the herds in Western
Kansas, Southern Colorado, New Mex
leo, the Pan Handle and plains of
Texas and portions of Indian Territory,
have occupied vast sections of land to
the exclusion of other industries.
Wild herding is wasteful use of land.
Western plains from ten to twenty-five
acres of land are required to keep
steer for u year. Few of the wild
herders own more land than is necessa-
ry to secure a water privilege; but
that secured, they control thousands of
adjacent acres and are apt to prove
turbulent neighbOrs for intruders. In
Texas at the present time there is SER
ious complaint of the effect of these
large holdings of land in preventing
settlement. In Southern Colorado and
the section lying to the south and
southeast range 100000 cattle belong
ing to the Prairie Cattle Company com
posed of Scotch and English capitalists
Their cattle cover a vast section Oi
country, and no agriculturist, sheep
raiser or small cattle man can make q
stand against them. The owners are
non-residents, and the increasing prev
alence of large holdings of land by
non-residents is felt as a strong aggra
vation of the Western land question
ALONG the Canadian and PecOs river
in Western New Mexico similar condi
tions prevail. The land is controlle,
) by the owners of great herds of cattl
or flocks of sheep. Where cattle ru
: wild and are never fed, necessarily
: comparatively enormous stretch c
l land is needed for the sustenance {
even few.
l The question then arises as to tn
5 manner in which this prOblem-an
e the Western land question is becOmin
n a serious one-will be met. The herr
l. ers say the land can be used for notl
e ing else. This is true only to limite
e extent. The remarkably successf
: results of irrigation in Western Kansa
d which are realizing Mr.. Greeley's pr
70 dictions, show that agriculture can
l. extended further than has usually be-
d held possible.
st Cattle men are beginning to find tn
ID there is more money in raising al
y, feeding graded stock than in herdi
W Texas steers. In other words, there
'n a steady and profitable demand
is tender corn-fed beef, while for t
al stringy muscles of the gaunt Tex
n steer the market is apt to prove p
d. carious and always low. Cattle whi
Sc run wild like so many antelOpes a
tn "rustle" for living can never produ
al the best quality of beef, and in Kan
re the fact is being recognized. Gait
= raisers in the eastern and central p
ge ton of that State are becoming farm
les as we'll as herdsmen, raising corn a
in sorghum and feeding it to their cat
ice This plan is rapidly extending We
his ward. Wherever it is possible to rs
lily corn or buy it cheaply. it seems pro
en BILE that within five years wild herd
es- will be largely restricted if not alb
lad doned. Cattle men will then buy IL
he land out and out and will necessal
u.s. content themselves with smaller hC
,ed ings. OF necessity, too, they will
nat courage the presence of farmers in Il
ion neighborhood on whom they can
pend for corn in case of need.
has land used for wild herding will be
ing which is practically unavailable for
ern other purpose, and it will be gra
ike over as last resort. With the I'M
al of a permanent population into
yas, West and Southwest this land quest
ed, therefore, will largely settle ITSELF
ing Y. Tribune.