Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-01-26
PUsLnLINDS.

A dispatsh from Washington dated the
sOth, says: "On next Monday bill is to
be reported In the Senate committee on
Public Lands which will permit settlers to
enter lands which have been fenced In and
are now occupied by stock men, whose
claims are not a matter OF record. The
bill will provide that In any case where the
occupant claims under color or title derived
from any source which, upon Investigation,
shall be proved invalid, he shall have the
preference Of the right TO acquire title from
the Quilted States, either by settlement I'M
der the homestead or presumption laws, Of
an amount not exceeding 160 acres, and not
exceeding the amount held under such color
Of title. II Is claimed the cattle men have In
closed large tracts OF public lands, and that
under an existing law no one can make an
entry Ofthe land thus lnclosed. Col. Hunter,
Of Missouri, who arrived here to-day and
who Is largely interested In cattle, says that
no such law exists. lie and about twenty
other dealers have Enclosed tract In Kan
sas and In the Indian Territory. This has
boon done that thsI expense Of hertling
might be reduced. No one has been inter-
fered with, Col. Hunter says, nor do these
eattlemen claim that such fencing gives
them any proprietary right. The fencing
has been merely matter Of convenience to
lessen the expense Of herding"
To persons In this section who are famil-
lar with this subject It appears that there. IL
no necessity for any such legislation as con-
tenplated by the above. No stocku man has
any public land fenced that settlers are not
As free to locate on as II It were unfenced.
No stockman claims title, by. construction,
or otherwise to any land he is not entitled
70. This is an other branch Of the Terrific
~ land trouble which has arisen OH account
Of the ignorance Of the officials at Wash
ington and the unprincIpled actions OF
few busy-bodys who are always found at.
tempting to Cause trouble. A persistent
attempt is being made to get the impress
sion out that stOckmen are assuming un-
warranted privileges TO the detriment of
settlers who desire to settle on and cultivate
the vast domain In this section OF the conn.,
try; that force Is employed to drive of the
people who desire TO locate on claims. All
this 10 untrue. No ones rights are disre-
garded. The lands are not controlled by
= few to the exclusion or the many.
BY common consent stockmen have Sc
lected the range necessary for the pursuit
In which they are engaged. or course more
territory Is required to Craze bunch Of cat
tie than they could possibly utilize In agri-
culture; but when this is thought of another
fact must be considered with Il: This CONN.,
y and section is not suited for agriculture
and will never be used for it. The land Is
usless without stock on 1t. Without stocl,
on It, It would go to waste, tfor 1t Is well
known that grazing 1t continually is what
produces the nutritious grass that lasts the
entire year and makes the beef. Without
cattle or buffalo 1t would grow up In weeds.
The buffalo are gone, never to return, and
tie cattle are here never 70 70.
But onco let a meddling and Ignorant
congress attempt to follow the dictates OF
the schemers and "blAtherskiteS' who are
appearing PRO BONO PUEIco, but really;to
satisfy their ownyambitlons and ends. and
the stock interests Of the southwest will
surely degenerate.