The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-27

plOHser, WHO mas taken up a homestead
adjacent to the reserve, depending en-
tirely upon the timber for his fuel, will
be deprived and injured; the scavenger,
who gathers up the fallen timber for
the purpose of taking it to the kilns to
burn into charcoal, will be deprived of
his livelihood; the poor man, who gets
timber out of the mountains for the
mines. will be deprived of his labor;
the miners will be forced to ship their
timbers for a longer distance, and pay
an extra freight tax; the smelters will
be taxed extra freight rates for long
hauls of charcoal, and every person liv-
ing in the adjoining country will be in
jured more or less.
The western citizenshaveju just cause for
complaint, and our eastern neighbors,
who have no personal interests, should
not try to rivet upon us something
which is a great detriment and injury
to us.
In conclusion, let me say: That this
great and important convention of live
stock interests should define it's posi-
ton in no uncertain terms, and adopt
such means, as the wisdom Of this con-
Vention dictates, to have the president
of the United States revoke the orders
or proclamations setting apart forest
reserves in western states"
Chairman Smith of the Utah delega-
ton spoke in favor of the resolution,
denying that sheep injure the range
He declared that sheep fertilize the
grass.
johnson of Colorado said that MANY
years of experience as an irrigator con-
WINGED him that the forests are det-
riment rather than help in the con-
servation of snow. He favored the reso-
luton.
Speeches of much interest followed by
Wells of Wyoming and others.
Finally, Mr., Barnes of Arizona offered
an amendment to the substitute provid-
ing for permitting the grazing of sheep
on the reserves where investigation
shows that no harm to the timber re-
suits. This, in the nature of COM
ton and the substitute was then
adopted.
Range Problems in the Northwest
was the subject of a paper by A. B.
Leckenby of Oregon. special agent in
charge of grass and forage plant in
yestlgation for the Pacific coast, United
states department of agriculture. 1t
was in part as follows:
1t Is a well recognized fact that
what is known as bunch grass lands
are rapidly becoming thing of the
past, and in their place we have dreary,
desert wastes. a.
In many cases, land that would for
merly successfully support one beef
animal to one one-half acres, will not
now successfully accomplish the same
on 20 acres The loss to the country
estimated in dollars is enormous, but in
blasted hopes and ruined lives is still
more serious.
THE homestead act, passed in 1862,
enabling all who wished to take up 100
acres of land was beneficent and wise
so long as there was land left that was
available for extensive farming. Now
all, or nearly all, such land has been
occupied, and nearly all of what re-
mains must of necessity be handled in
different way if any use except abuse
is to be made of the land. Under this
homestead law, all occupied land was
free for all ITO use and misuse, and no
one could be restrained from overgraz-
ing and destroying the only value there
was to the land. ..',.= T.o-., +.
The land in question, the semi-arid,'
is available only for limited purposes,
not for general farming. With the ex-
ception of wheat raising in compare
lively small areas, it can only be peed
for stock raising. This does not include
the still smaller areas that can be i1ri-
gated and used for extensive farming.
1t cannot be used for homestead entry.
because the limit, 100 acres, Is too
small, and because adjoining land can
be purchased for much less price than
the government fees. The scarcity and
location of water necessitates other
than section lines as boundaries, and
bodies of land must include water priv
ileges, in order that they may be avail
able for the purpose intended. Sue
cessive seasons Of over-pasturing with
no restraint or any system looking to
conservation or improvement of the
range, has brought us to condition
that is appalling, and threatens to leave
large areas desolate and destitute of
useful grass, but growing up to pestif-
erous weeds. The Russion thistle is
forcing our hand, threatening to cover
the vast domain and render the cult
waited portions very uncomfortable.
This condition is reproach to our in
telligence and our patriotism. No care
was need to cause the ruin, but if we
are going to retrieve our inheritance,
there must be some thoughtful work
done.
with the unfenced, uncontrolled
condition of things, comparatively little
good can be accomplished. 1t is neces-
sary that some wise administration
shall direct and control. A law enact
ed and enforced restraining any stock
from grazing on public land without
a license, and stipulations regulating
the proper treatment of the land, would
be effectual and would infringe the
rights of none, while protecting proper
ty of all. In this, as in all matters,
it is just that those who receive bene-
fit should be the ones who should pay
for it, and that those who do not should
not be burdened with the expense
Mr.. Lackenby advocated the leasing
of the government lands, as there was
abundant proof that under system
of ownership or leasehold, where the
parties are secured in the profits for
care and wise management, the results
hoped for have been obtained in a
marked degree. On similar lands in
Australia, the same difficulties pre-
scented themselves, and were met by a
system of leasing The very nature of
the case suggests the remedy. With
the property owned by individuals.
whose personal interests is to improve
it, the case is quite different to that of
government land in which latter case
under present management no one can
be expected to improve where he cam
not be assured in the right to benefits
arising .therefrom. The leasing right
should be granted only to actual set
tiers and live stock owners, limiting