Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-02-28
SENATOR FOSTERS BILL.

The interests of the state Of Montana
duced by Senator Foster of Washington,
which contemplates the leasing of arid
lands to individuals and corporations by
the government of the United States. In
substance the bill is as follows:
That such of the vacant public lands
west of the ninety-ninth meridian OF
longitude west from Greenwich, as in the
Judgment of the secretary of agriculture
are more valuable for grazing han for
other uses, shall be subject to lease for
grazing purposes. a Il Z. (
That the secretary of agriculture will,
furnish to the secretary Of the interior
from tlme to time lists OF the lands that
are to be leased under the provisions Of
this act, designating in such lists the
lands that are to be included in each
separate lease, and that the minimum
rental per acre for THE area to be included
inl each lease, n Upon the receipts of.
such lists the secretary of the interior
will instruct the commissioner of the
general Ian office to proceed to- lease
such lands in accordance with the pro-
visions of this act.
That after lands shall ave been leased
under the provisions of this act they
shall not be open for filing or entry under
amy of the land avs of the United States
while such lease exists. excepting as min
eral lands are entered as mineral lands
under the a laws of the United States,
they will be cancelled from the lease M
proper adjustment made of the rental
by the secretary of the interior.
That the money derived from rentals
shall be covered into the treasury of the
United States, and une-half the gross
amount collected I'M each state shall be
paid to- the irrigation off that state, to
be used for irrigation other agricul-
tural development in such way as its
legislature may direct.
That the rate of rental in no case shall
be less than one cent per acre per an
num-, the mount of annual rental In any
one lease shall not be less than SO, and
no lease shall be made for a longer period
tina 10 years.; provided, that any lease
may be renewed for one or more periods
not exceeding 10 years, upon the ap-
prevail Of the secretary of agriculture.
and at such rate of rental as he may
Designate.
That after lands have BEEN leased
under the provisions of this act, It shall
be unlawful for anyone except the lessee
to enter upon such lands for the purpose
of grazing stock thereon, and such entry
shall be deemed a ~misdemeanlor, punish
able by a fine of not exceeding $500. or
imprisonment for a period not exceed
ing six months, or both; and the fines
collected shall be paid into the public
school fund OF the county in which the
lands where the offense was committed
are situated.
If this bill becomes a law it will eff
f~ectually prevent the reclamation OF the
arid belt in this state for all time to
come, and head off every attempt to Sc
cure government aid for irrigating en-
terprises or storage reservoirs. The flu
ture hope Of Montana rests in the con-
version of our arid lands into farms. A
more fertile sol does not lie under the
shining u than within the arid belt Of
this and other states. Its fine volcanic
ash will produce the finest vegetable
growths known to man, when properly
fruotiied by water. To reclaim these
lands, through government aid if poesi-
BILE, through state aid If necessary, has
been the dream of every progressive and
patriotic citizen in this commonwealth.
The Foster bill Is clearly in the inter-
ests of the great corporations which wish
to preserve the public domain for graz
ing purposes. With all due respect for
the live stock industry. Montana's need
Of a larger agricultural area, with adj
that 1t implies, is too great to be ignored.
1t is true, the present state government
has favored the leasing of these lands,
and has frittered away a large proper