Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-12-13
Live Stock Men Must Work,

New Mexico never needed votes in
congress through statehood worse than
she will need them when the Texas and
northwestern cattle combinations sub
nit a bill for a national lease law. in or
der to enable the capitalists to lease and
fence in the public domain. This meas
ure. if carried into effect. will result in
the sheep men of the territory having
to move or go out of the business except
in very few instances, where they may
be able to lease and fence large tracts
Of land. And the small cattlemen will
suffer likewise. That conflicts and dis
order would be invited by alien corpora
tons Selling under this law he free
range is certain, but the power of the
general government would be invoked
to give leasers possession. southern
New Mexico contains many cattle and
sheep owners who have had to leave
Texas with their herds and fiocks be-
cause they We're unable to compete with
the big corporations who leased Texas
lands and established vast fenced
ranches. The lease law has the support
| Of the proposed Loving cattle combina-
ton in Texas and New Mexico, as we'll
| as of the larger corporations already
holding Texas domain along the border,
| who desire to extend their ranges into
| New Mexico. 1t has the joint support OF
some wealthy sheep companies in the
! northwest. in Montana and Wyoming,
| who are able to lease. and the cattle
| kings Of Montana, Wyoming and Colo
| RADIO. The secretary of agriculture has
| been induced to recommend the leasing
| plan, by the argument that it would re-
| suit in restoring grass upon ranges de-
| stroyed by promiscuous use when I'M
fenced and overstocked.
The convention called by the govern
or of Wyoming, of governors of arid
| states. is meant to secure support for
| this measure under the plea that the
| proceeds Of leasing may be applied to
| irrigation work in the arid region. 1t is
| stated that the secretary of the interior
and the commissioner of the general
land office will indorse a national lease
law, and that the votes of many sena-
tors and representatives have been Sc
cured for such a measure by corpora
tions in the east and west owning cattle
in the arid country. Work has been 60
ing on for some time to secure support
for this scheme, and of course the sena-
tors and congressman have seen but one
side of the question. The small cattle
owners and the sheep men of New Mex
leo should join in petitions to congress
not to enact so unjust a measure. The
cattle and sheep sanitary boards of this
territory, which are working for the
greatest good for the greatest number
of people, should lead in securing the
signatures of the live stock owners ant
others interested, through inspectors
and by other methods, and lose no timt
about it. Colorado should join in the
protest, and other states, which will b.
disastrously affected by the Legislation
in aid Of the corporations, who, once
protected in the monopoly of land. viii
be able to dictate terms upon which 9th
ers shall sell their stock in retiring
from business, and then the mainten
il, lance of a cattle trust will be compare
lively easy, and the people of the United
States will be made to suffer from tn
exactions of the monopolists.