The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1884-03-26

| sent US for publication an article cllpPe0
from the Live Stock Journal, in reference
to the bill introduced by Senator ingalls,,
of Kansas, ito prevent the unlawful in
closure of public lands" The article is
most too long to reproduce at length. 1t
contains a protest from the executive
committee of the cattle growers of Color
ado, Wyoming, Nebraska and Montana
against the passage Of such law, which
they say will, if enforced in the grazing
regions of the Rocky Mountains. cause
considerable annoyance to one Of the
largest industries of the great and grow
ing west. In an agricultural sense they
admit the bill is just and proper, and if
enforced in that one particular only, no
objection can be consistently raised, but
there is another side to the case. The
cattle growers appear to he affected more
than any one else, and they righteously
protest against this infraction, not that
they care to possess themselves of water
rights and pasturage for the sustenance
of their stock, but they want the privi-
lege of protecting themselves and their
herds against the encroachment of others
engaged in the same business. An i'm
portant feature in favor of the stockmen
is that the lands they enclose and fence
is of such description that it is valueless
for any other purpose than that for
which it is now used, that of raising hay
for the horses used in their business, and
also as corrals during the branding sea-
son, to take from them these small par
GELS of fenced land would be manifestly
unjust, besides allowing the land TO re-
main idle and returning no revenues to
the government. Mr.. Anceny has this
to say in concluding a letter on the arti-
Gle: "After reading this article we can
easily realize that the assertions ad-
vanced by some of our papers stating
that the controversy in the live stock in
terest is pretty well settling itself, is an
illusion. Nothing will settle itself in q
judicious manner without honest legisla-
ton.
We remark that this reproduced arti-
Gle begins by demanding the privilege of
protecting themselves and their herds
against the Entertainments of others en-
gagged in the same business. When things
begin to regulate themselves the advan-
tage will invariably turn to the strongest.
While stock growers of limited means
have to devote great deal of time and
attention, as well asselfexertion, to avoid
infringement among themselves, the
strong capitalists fence extensive areas of
land to their exclusive benefit without
fear of intrusion, yet being fragrant vio-
lation to the rights of the nation. The
authorities are beginning to awaken
from their dreams of self regulation
and seem ready to jump from one
extreme to another, from no laws
to arbitrary and unreasonable laws,
restraining everything on the
public domain, not even allowing a cor
raj or pasture to be built on land of no
utility but for grazing. when grazing
land cannot be advantageously utilized
without certain indispensable improve
ments. We may here mention a clear
from the Independent, headed
Uncle Sans Grass: Should Uncle Sans
COWBOYS be prevented from paying con-
to the government by the pas
sage of oppressive laws, his neighbor,
John Bull, who has plenty of gold and
seems we'll disposed to buy the cows from
Uncle Sans boys, Craze them on Uncle
Sans land and pay the contribution him
SELF while Uncle Sans cowboys would
herd cows for John Bull. While congress
tries to pass laws disapproved Of by the
general sentiment of stock growers there
ire ether voices spreading. the alarm Of
mouth and foot diseases. Cattle are in
The same fix all over the United States,
heir protection must be obtained by an
to check in due time the |
march of raw: gous diseases. Our papers
advise us to organize and try to prevent
he disease from entering the Territory.
It is very difficult to form an organization
lere where too many are not disposed to
'ttend the meeting or pay a dollar for
he public good. It was for fear of better
ng one industry more than another that
he bill for better protection of cattle was
.hecked at Ol1r last LEGISLATURE"