St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-12-29

grzziug land while Arizona is almost entirely
, 30. ana NeE Mexico, Utah and Idaho 10 not
ofier 10 the farmer, except in comparatively
small tracts, good farming land. The public
/ land of the states and territories mentioned
3 is stocked with cattle. This occupancy OF
/ the government laud by stockmeu is in one
/ sense unlswfri, Though not made ia defiance
OF law. IL has been doue without the pro-
lection OF law,yet il Is a fact OF general knowl-
edge aud mas been permitted by the United
! States authorities.
The grazing business Of the plains had
4 its inception about 1870, and the men who
Z Grst undertook the enterprise did so al the
4 imminent risk of their lives aud property.
which were in danger Of depredasions from
the savagr Iadiau tribes, and also from the
then unknown aud untried effects OF tine
severity OF tLe winters. The effect Of
4 their enterprise has been, first. 20 create
a valuable industry represented by a large
amount Of Lxlole property, aud, second.
10 prevent by the production of vast
/ herds OF cattle in a manner previously IN
known tie rise in TIE price of beef which
would otherwise assurediy have taken pl ice
owing % the very rapid increase o. our poDu-
iatiun. The suits brought against some cat
tlemen for fencing in public lands have
created an impression in the east thai ranch
/ men generally fence in their ranges with a
desire 10 exclude settlers engaged 10 taking
4 up public land under the homestead laws.
/ The truth is that by far the largest number OF
ranches are not enclosed by fences. aud
ranehmen generally prefer an open range
region without a fence. In a majority OF
Instances where large tracts OF grazing lands
have been fenced the losses OF cattle have
been such aud public opinion so strong in
I their condemnation that the owners are vol
uuiarily taking down the fences, and & large
I number have already been removed. The
ranch owners of the plains desire 10 pursue
/ their vocation In accordance with law. They
are not DESTROYS OF using the grazing facili-
/ ties without cost, and, as a body, they are
/ unqualifedly in favor Of some legal method
| 10y which they caa pay an equivalent for what
they receive.
''The present action Of the stack-growers
! is not a movement OF the rich against the
poor, nor is il one 10 prevent the settler
from pre-empting farming land. By the
plan we intend submitting 10 the govern
ment stocknen now occupying ranges may
retain legal possession Of them during the
existence OF lease, but under restrictions
which will permit the taking up of the same
land by farmers at any time under the
]
drawn from the rental The motive in the
desire of the men now grazing cattle on the
| plains ID be recognized by law lies in the
fact that there is danger Of their ranges be-
ing overstocked by newcomers. These are
often men not experienced 10 managing the
large herds which they Drive upon a range,
and not aware OF its variable prOduetiveness
| In grass crops. The owners OF the cattle now
| grazing everywhere on the plains and 10 the
mountain parks are compelled every year 10
sell certain proportion Of their herds In
eastern markets in order 10 prevent
| the number from outgrowing sub
/ sstence. As an illustration Of this fact It
was stated in the recent cattlemen's couVen-
| ton az ST. Louis by the leading stock growers
Of Texas, that their state Is annually pro-
ducing S0O,0 600 head more cattle than il.
/ grazing lands will support, and that amount
must bea bsolutely removed from their ran
ges annually to market.
''Tne reports of the profits Of the cattle
business have induced capitalists. and es-
pecially foreign inanciers, TO form compan-
les with view OF handling enormous herds
on the plains, and, the land being free TO all,
they are sending cattle upon many ranges
ia such numbers As TO expose a large proper
ton Of the animals Of the region to the risk
OF Heath by slarv4tion-to the certainty Of IL
in the case OF short grass crop and severe
winter. For example, l25, 900 head OF cattle
have during the last season been driven upon
the range lying betwecn the North Platte and
Powder rivers, west ui Fort Laramie, in Wv
oming territory. As consequence much OF
the land Is as devoid Of grass as the streets of
New York, and If the approaching winter
should prove TO he a stormy one the loss in
cattle by death will be prrnaps 20 TO 30 per
cent. OF all that Craze in the region. Now.
then, the stock growers OF the western plains
propose 10 ask Of congress a qualified lease Of
the lands they occupy The settled policy of
the government in disposing OF its lands 70
settlers is 10 transfer II % them in small
tracts. The catIlemen will therefore not ask
congress % sell 10 them their ranges, and
they do not seek any change in the home
stead laws. They simply want 70 buy the
grass which grows on their ranges from year
TO year and thus be protected in that pur-
chase. The United States treasury would
annually be so, 600, 900 10 $50. O0O, 900 richer
than il is if their proposal should be &C.
eeded TO.
"The belief that the cattle companies are
using this plan only as a means of obtaining
government possession Of the lands,
in order TO exclude homesteads. or
more readily 10 obtain through fraud
nlent means the title 20 the
lands along the streams is, ! believe. not
warranted by the facts. II the stockman
leased ais range from the government would
he have auy better facilities for fraud than
Z at presenti With the possession Of lease
always subject to subsequent entries by ac-
tuai settlers toe stock owner would receive
all the protection that he could desire. The
great temptation TO endeavor 20 protect him
self by securing title 10 government lands
would be removed. and his business could
be safely prosecuted subject 10 the gradual
absorption 81 the lauds by farmers, without
eradicating the production Of the stock
years in advance Of the cultivation Of the
land.
The question of leasing grazing lands
has been brought prominently before the
rauehmen of the plains al this time by pro-
posed legislation in congress constituting IL
peual offense TO place any Improvement
upon govern ment land without obtaining a
title 10 1t. Small mprovements-such as
cabins for the protection OF men aud corrals
Of an acre or two in extent for holding cattle
are necessities of the business. Each
ranchman requires a dozen OF mure OF these
buildings in the pursuit Of his occupation.
He cannot obtain title 70 even these small
tracts IN ier any existing Law. The govern
meot will not sell for cash, and the right TO
Obtain title b. settlement Is limited 10 two
tracts, not exceeding 100 acres each, 10 any
! one individuaL To make the establishment
OF such Improvements the rauchman
needs would constitute every stock owner .
law breaker perforce, and must inevitably