Eureka weekly sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1887-1902, 1889-04-06

The follow ing letter was written by a
big Republican cattlemaa in Southern
Nevada to Senator Stewart, protesting
against free trade in water, and sent to
US for publication:
SOUTHERN NEVADA, March %. 1889.
My DEAR SENATOR: As you are an
ardent advocate Of Government aid IN
sinking a~rtesian wells and other unnat-
ural devices for irrigating the desert
lands Of Nevada, desire you to pause
ere it is too late, and consider how cruel
ly your scheme, IL successful, will
blight the prospects OF my present III
dustry. Under the fond delusion that
the election Of Harrison would iusure me
perfect protection in my control OF the
cattle range in this part OF Nevada,
without any interference from heretical
free traders, 1 voted for that principle,
which you promised would make me
! rich; but now I find that you, who IN
COMPANY with Hon. II. h. Mitchell,
pleaded so earnestly for stiict protec
| ton. even to the Chinese borax shovel
ers of Esmeralds, have actually cam
| forward as the most prominent advocate
of free trade in that dearest Of all mo-
nopolies-water. My case is peculiarly
hard. After making FIVE lawyers indie
pendently rich, l have at last secured
the exclusive right to several springs
and five or six miles Of running water.
| am not a farmer and never intend to be,
but | want that water to hold the cattle
range on either side Of the valley and
keep other cattlemen out. In fact, it is
my practical method Of protection.
There is plenty of good, rich farming
land close by, but it is Of no use with
out my water, and consequently | have
q large pasturage which nobody wants
to interfere with. Now you come along
with your communistic scheme OF Dor
ing for water in the sagebrush, and your
plan seems so likely to succeed hat beef
has gone down four cents! Now is this
the treatment good protectionist
should receive from such shining Repub
liean as yourself! Why, If these infer
nal, Il speak reverently) water borers are
encouraged any one can get water, even
a sheep man; my springs will come
down in value to almost nothing, not to
mention the number Of respectable law.
yers who will starve to death. Even il
you are an inconsistent protectionist you
ought to be a consistent lawyer. Think
of all the money that will be lost to jury
brokers, witness bribers, herders, etc.
You have had some experience in Ne.
vada litigation. You ought to know.
Again, the whole idea is contrary to our
policy Of protecting labor. II all this
southern country is cultivated by means
of wells, there will be hundreds Of men
working at fair wages. There will be a
demand for labor. Now we Republicans
don't want any demand for labor. We
want a few men to work for good wages
and the balance to be for sale cheap at
election time. As l said before, your
scheme has a communistic tendency un-
worthy Of the broadcloth aristocrscy Of
our party. Consider the precedent you
will establish. In a short time the
country will be so settled that | shall
actually have to pay the Government
for my grazing landsl There won't be a
monopoly left in Nevada, and then what
will the sale of a Nevada seat in Con-
gress amount to in the city? / trust
you will think better of this, Senator.
You are getting too old to turn free
trader. We don't want a lot of young
farmers here. Let them stay with Jim
Blaine and Carnegie. Protect my water
rights and the lawyers.
Yours more in sorrow than in anger,
Tom