Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-01-26
CATTLEMEN VS..
THE SHEEPMEN.
Burning Questions Agitate the Con-
flicting Industries at Denver.
j. c. M'KAY OF UTAH TALKS.
Compromise OTered In nm Amend
ncnt by Iiarncs OF Arizona Cattle
Tbics.. Receive Attention.

Denver. Colo. Jan. 25.-ono ~ the
questions which have Tor years agitntcd
the stock growers OF the great West
the conflicting interests Of the cattle
mon ana the ahccpmcn-was prccipitat-
ed upon the National Live stock COM
vcntion today by the consideration 90
resolution recommending 90 the de-
partmcnt OF the interior that the rule
prohibiting the grazing OF sheep on the
forest reserves In the West W. abrogat.
cd. \ substitute resolution guprov-
ING the action Of the government IN
protecting the forest reserves was In.
troduccd by Ralph Talbot u Colorado.
John G. Mackny u Utah. the author OF
the original resolution. opened the dis
cussion with the following paper.
FOREST RESERVES.
Forest reserves have been cstab.
ilahod In most Of our Western States.
without reference to the representa-.
lives OF the states most directly inter-
cHtrd OF tho conditions OF their admits.
sion aa political communities. Tho
national forest policy seems 10 be d.
rcctod and impclled by the American
Forestry nrHocintion, whose member
clean maiority-afo residents ~ New
York Massachusetts, iennay lVnuin,
New Jersey. ana the District ~ Coli
umbla. 90 claiming residence In WASH
ington city. The organization II 90
constituted that few active members
can shape the course of the association
and become a powerful influence Ia
framing the policy OF the government
relative 60 the disposal VI forest lands
While the objections of the association
arr worthy ana important, where tt..-
Der II nccdcd--yet, aHserti0nn AZ facb
are made. and expressions used. which
are ~ erroneous ana unloading that
one would not think possible to cma-
nate from such an august body
'''rhc principal objects sst forth are
the preservation of the water supply
and of timber. where u IL suitable for
lumber which are very worthy and
very Important. iiut the plan they
suggest ~ wronr. and detrimental TO
the citizens 81 the Western StAtcf. The
American Forestry association nllcscr
that. timber bcina cut. sd Htoele .baf
inE permitted to craze therein. eating
the grass and underbrurh, destroys our
water supply. That the kecping Of
sheep u numadic. and recommends the
exclusion Of sheep from the paHturagc
within those reservations. 49, de-
rtroyerH 81 the forests and dcsolnivrr
OF the plains: the herderH are inccndi-
use OF the army 10 guard these re-
serves. u. T.. f"rnuw, chairman of
the executive committee. says That
he has not heard u single good reason
aEuinrt the reserves, The reasons
usually can De slftcd down TO some
small speculative Interest,". that IN sup.
poHcdly sacrificed To the greater com.
munal intorcrft, The poor man who
has taken M homestead IN tho
woodf-not 10 mako home. but To
speculate with the timber on the 100
acrcr-feclH injured because his Hpccu-
lntion may not pan out. The sheep
horder feels injured because he louHcH
the free range 10 which he had hardly
amy right before. and which he ana his
best 60 destroy by his reckless manner
Of using IT, 4 third Glars N formed
by those who consider tho reservation
policy one imposed upon Western
communities by Eastern cranlln. ignor-
ant OF Western conditions. Let W.
nnnlyzc those statements. and nHccr-
tain the facts.
"'rhey assert that forests protect the
source OF streams In mountain and
hiehlnnd dirtrictr BY preserving the
snow from melting and impeding the
pcrcolntiun OF melted snow or rain
from reaching the valley below.
.Aiy observation nnd experience In
IN. mountains for over twenty years
teaches that snow meltH first In belts
mains Ina the mountains after the lHt
OF July In each ycar N on open ground,
where ID has been laid by drifting. These
sonw hanks on the open innd.nnd water
from epringa are the sources OF supply
after the III OF July. When Utah WAS
nrgt settled. peoplr who located on
streams and rivers thought they needed
All the water to irrigate their farm
with. and declared tina there was not
room, for amy more. Hut others came
and eommrncrd 10 cultivate the soil, 10
make cnnnls 10 irflrutr their farms 10
use tho water n,nrr ryrtematloaiiy, ana
Ia .fr,nt.r ndynntnre. and today there
arc Roo acres ar MOTE Irrigated whorr
one Nns formerly. Time has demon
strntri thnt wnter h NOT lost by Hood
inr A over land. for il will percolato
throurh the rnil and return 10 the ma
turai Ar tinnre OF the country, or break
out Ia ms rprinrH ON a lower level.
ana then n can h., utilized on the lower
lands The only prnctlcal way 10 pro.
sr,,,, water In mo nrid regions h 10
bniid res.rvoirs. and retain the water
durIna nnod lido
'srbe tiu,bcr within most OF these re-
servcs bsionrs 10 Inc conlfero,is gen.
era. h very scrubby, full OF knots ana