The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-12-19
DEALS N FUTURES
Billy Bolton Debates on Wood
ward County Prospects,
IMMIGRATION is HEAVY
CattIemen'S Convention to be
Held Soon to be a Rou8er.

Guthrie. O. T. Dec. I.-In the course
of an interview today W. E. Bolton Of
Woodward, who was in Guthrie enroute
to Kansas City, gave his views on the
future of western Oklahoma, as between
farming and stoclraising. Mr.. Bolton
said: 1.-THE immigration into woodward
county, for instance, is very heavy at
present and bids fair to continue until
all land that lies in shape to be cultivat-
ed will be homesteaded. The cattlemen
will quietly retreat before il. The c0un-
try VIII become farming country, pure
and simple. and win remain SO if the sea-
sons hold good But, if they do Motif
there should be reyersion to drOuthy con
dihons known to have prevailed for long
periods Of time hitherto, western Okla
homa VIII simply repeat the history Of
western Kansas, Beaver county and the
Panhandle Of Texas. All these in their
turn have filed UP with homesteaders
who have been soon drouth-stricken,
have struggled bravely but uselessly
against the unconqueraDle, and have
finally given it up and gone away to
stay. This would be the natural history
Of western Oklahoma, in the event Of
persistent drouth, and the cowmen would
have nothing to do but come back and
possess the land, as they have in those
other sections have mentioned.
But mind. now" continued Mr.. Boil
ton, Il am not expressing any opinion or
making any guess as TO whether the
aridity or humidity viii prevail. ] only
state what will surely take place in the
event Of this or that contingency. have
quit guessing. But trust the Almighty"
he added devoutly, land whichever He
DEGREES the corresponding result will be
evident in due time"
But, even in the event Of the permanent
occupation Of the country by the farmer
the cattle interest viii not suffer diminu-
ton, according to the view of Mr.. J.
II. De Isle, also Of Woodward and
editor Of the Woodward Bulletin Mr.
De Isle was in Guthrie today and In the
course of a conversation with the rep
resentauve of the Eagle expressed him
self in matters of special interest to his
home town and in addition touched upon
topics important to the territory at large.
His expression upon the future status of
homa is especially timely in view of Mr..
Bottoms forecast above. Mr.. De Isle
said:
Woodward IS making extensive prepa-
rations to entertain the cattemen's con
vention 10 be held there in February
The new Delta hotel is completed and
giving as good accommodations as are to
be found in the terri tory. The building
Of two brick blocks viii begin with the
first Of the year. The Central hotel will
be moved. and a three-story hotel take
its place. The First National bank and
a mercantile firm viii build two-story
business block. The wheat in the c0un-
ty is in perfect condition The farmers
are all at work preparing for next years
crop.
tHomesteaders by the hundreds are
moving onto their claims, building houses !
and breaking land for spring crops. The |
cattle are all fat and there is much more
feed than can be used. It was feared
that the settlement Of the county would
drive out the cattle, but the fact IS there
are more cattle in the county than ever
before. Instead Of a few large herds
there are many small lones
THE principal topic of conversation n
regard to the acts of the next Iegisla ture
Is the school land bill The bill proposed
by Senator Freeman E Miller meets svtth |
general appreciation on every hand. |
There are, hoover, two weak points that
are characterized. One Is the appraise- |
ment Of the lands by the county commits |
sioners; the other is the placing Of the /
basis Of appraisement on the value Of
raw lands in the neighborhood If the |
appraisement is placed in the hands Of
county commissioners there VIII be no
uniformity of appraisement and It will |
enter into local politics directly. eKep /
the appraisement in the hands Of the /
school land department, which VIII have /
no interest in local politics and VIII only /
be interested In getting the greatest pos /
sible permanent income from the land /
Appraise the lands on the basis Of the (
earning value of adjacent lands indepen- /
dent of improvements. No man should /
have quarter section of school land un- 4
less he win use it to mage the best pos
sible income both for himself and the /
school fund. There are plenty Of good /
citizens who win want the land and viii /
pay a reasonable rental"
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