New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-11

acres and are apt to prove turDulent ne'Bno'''
for intruders. In Texas at the present time
there Is serious 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 30O,Ooo cut
tie belonging to the Prairie Cattle Company,
composed Of Scotch and English capitalists
Their cattle cover vast section of country, ana
no agrlculturist, sheep-raiser or small cattie
man can make stand against them. Ihe
owners arc residents, and the increasing
prevalence of largo holdings OF land by nom
residents IL felt rs a strong aggravation OF the
Western land question. Along the Canadian and
PecOs rivers in Western New Mexico similar
conditions prevail. The land is controlled by
the owners of great herds of cattle or focks
of sheep Where cattle run wild and are never
fed, necessarily a comparatively enormous
stretch of land is needed for the sustenance OF
even few.
The question then arises as to the manner IN
which this probem-and the Western land
question is becoming a serious one-will be met.
The herders say the land can be used for moth
Ing else This is true only to a limited extent.
The remarkably successful results OF irrigation
in Western Kansas, which are realizing MIR.
Greeley's predictions, show that agriculture
can be extended further than has usually been
held possible. These results indicate that
nearly all the rich soil along the upper Arkan-
sas which has been used only for grazing and
deemed worthless from the lack of water will
sooner or later, 10y the aid of irrigation. DO con-
verified into highly productive farms. 1t needs
only time and q population large enough to
IL - t.l fpru liar
systems of irrigation to be introduced in por-
tons of Texas, along the Canadian and PecOs
in New Mexico, and, in fact, wherever there is
a permanent stream of water. Again, wherever
water can be reached at depth of from
twenty TO forty feet as in Kansas, and there is
breeze enough to keep windmill In motion,
the lard is too valuable to be allowed to lie
idle. Moreover, the Government experiments
with artesian wells may yet prove successful in
providing water for sections of our great West
ern plains
But the fact that much land now comparatively
unproductiye can, with proper eOpnent, he
made available for agricultural purposes is no
reason why herders should restrict their terri
tory and invite settlers. Such generous
linquishment of the rights of possession may be
common in this selfish world by tho time Venus
next crosses the suns disc, but not before.
The solution of this question will be wrought
largely by self-interest. Cattle men are begin
ming to find that there is more money in raising
and feeding graded stock than in hcrding Texas
steers. In other words, there is steady and
profitable demand for tender cornfed beef,
while for the stringy muscles OF the gaunt
Texas steer the market is apt to prove pre-
caroGs and always low. Cattle which run
wild like so many antelopes and "rustle " for
n living can never produce the best quality of
beef and In Kansas this fact is being recOg-
nized Cattle-raisers in the eastern and cen
trail portion Of that State are becoming
farmers as well as herdsmen, raising corn and
sorghum and feeding 1t to their cattle This
plan is rapidly extending westward. Wherever
it is possible to raise corn or buy it
cheaply, it seems probable that within
Ave years wild herding will be largely re-
stricted if not abandoned Cattle men Will
then buy their land out and out aud will
necessarily content themselves with smaller
holdings. OF necessity, too, they Will en-
courage tho presence of farmers in their
neighborhood on whom they can depend
for corn in case of need The land used
for wild herdng will be that which is
practically unavailable for any other pur
pose, and it will be grazed over as last resort.
With the influx of q permanent population
into the West and Southwest this laud ques-
ton, therefore, will largely settle itself.