The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1884-06-18
Fencing Water and Grass on the
Range.

The questions which have arisen in the
west concerning the fencing Of the pub
lie domain appear to be in fair way of
settlement by the voluntary action ofthe
ranchmen themselves. At first they
could see no objection, as they owned the
land along the water courses, to inclosing
as much as they pleased Of the contigu-
GUS unwatered public land; but as range
room becomes more scarce they perceive
that this practice is likely to lead them
into difficulty. Other people have just
as good right as they to occupy the
public domain with grazing cattle, and if
they interpose obstacles denying or
abridging this right very serious difficult
ties are likely to arise.
If cattle are simply turned out to roam
wherever they please there is likely to
be no compensation demanded if they
should wander upon unoccupied public
lands. But when these lands are fenced
and appropriated to the use and benefit
of one person, who thus includes the
cattle of the general public, it is very
certain that some sort of compensation
for their use will eventually be insisted
upon the profits Of their business. The
ranch owners are shrewd to see this
Their business is profitable because the
grass and range are free, and they are
beginning to realize they can make more
money by taking their chances with
everybody on free open range than by
attempting the exclusive appropriation
of any part of it. 1t is doubtful also if
they long maintain the right to fence up
the water courses. even where they own
the land.
It was the original idea that by getting
control of the water they controlled the
adjacent range, that no outsiders could
bring cattle in without the ability to pro-
vide them with water. But It is begin
ming to dawn on many that grass is just
as necessary to their cattle as water is to
other peoples and that if they take
measures to keep the cattle of the public
away from their water there will be steps
taken to keep their cattle off the public
grass so that free grass and free water
/ will go together and be open to every
, body.
! Ultimately however, there must be
some different arrangement from this.
The government will not always main
tain a vast domain which anybody may
occupy for grazing purposes, free of tax
or cost Time and the competition on
the range will ultimately demonstrate
their productive capacity, and then those
who occupy these lands will have to
purchase or rent them. And if the price
or rental should be just one, the graz
ing interests would be put upon more
satisfactory basis than now Those con-
cerned in them could feel that their
business was permanent one, the num-
ber of cattle could in all cases be proper
toned to the sustaining capacities of the
particular locality. and everybody en-
couraged and enabled to institute and
carry forward systematic methods for the
improvement Of their stock. It is per-
haps too early as yet to foresee just what
will be the ultimate plan, or just what
would be the best
Ranchmen do not know what they
can afford to pay, and the government
what it would be just to ask. But these
questions are in process Of solution. and it
is certainly desirable that some basis be
arrived at whereby an industry 50 i'm
portant as the western grazing industry
is coming to be can be given more sys-
TEN and certainty than is possible under
the existing state of Breeders
Gazette.