Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-03-02
For the Convention TO Consider.

For the Convention 10 Consider.
There is a matter, not n of politics
at least as yet, which the Republican
convention at Socorro this month
should consider. 1t is the proposed
leasing of the public domain. The con-
vention will be composed of represent
alive men from all parts of the terri
tory, many of them engaged in the
stock industry, owners Of cattle and
sheep alike, or who are in business
which is dependent upon the prosperity
of stock growers. Indeed there can be
scarcely a citizen in the territory whose
interests are not affected by whatever
affects the live stock men. No body of
men better able to voice the opposition
of the people generally to the scheme to
set aside the established order of things
on the range could be found. 1t will be
a composite gathering of the represent
atives of classes interested in preserv-
| ing the public domain for the uses al
lowed by the Spanish and Mexican gov
| ernments to citizens who wrested the
range from savages and made it ser
viceable; and later used under the be-
neficent laws of the United States for
the cattle of the later era as we'll as the
flocks of the people.
The fact that New Mexico is barred
from having any vote in matters that
concern her should not make any one
Indifferent about giving expression to
congress Of what Is thought of the sell
fish measure. The Republican conven-
/ ton should emphatically condemn II
| and let congress know the effect leasing
| would have. Resolutions can her be
| placed in the hands Of the Colorado con
gressmen to strengthen the protest
made from that state.
The cattle owners and the sheer
growers in New Mexico have scarcely
come in conflict, though in many local.
tiles both kinds of stock have contrib
uted to the support of the people. Tha'
there has been no friction is largely due
to the fact that cattle corporations un
der alien ownership and management
have been few and have mostly operat'
ed in the portion of the territory no.
settled early by the sheep growers. Such
harmony and tacit observance of the
| priority of occupation may reasonably
be expected to continue under present
conditions. The cattlemen Of the terri.
tory have their fixed locations, owning
homesteads and patented land here
| and there with water, which commands
the range. They are not on the move
Each has a practical monopoly of g
fair share of the range, as was contem
| plated when homesteading was encour
aged by the government. which knew
that in the majority of cases free range
settler. The boundaries of the sheer
range are also pretty well defined.
Both the cattle and sheep owners o.
New Mexico are interested in prevent.
ing an era of fencing. Should the range
be offered to leasers many cattle own
ers will be compelled to lease the lane
they use to prevent others getting i
and fencing: or else must go out of the
business and leave the country. II
many instances the cost of fencing
would overtax the of thu
stock owners. Some who found them
! selves excluded from the range would
be tempted to cut fences and cause
trouble in their desperation and needs
| Such an era of conflict might be precip.
itated as once prevailed between set
tiers and outside corporations in Wyo.
| ming, where the push Of this lease
proposition largely monopolizes the
| country. New Mexico wants none o,
that.
That the big cattle corporations o
western Texas are eager to advance
| their holdings to cover the range II
much of New Mexico is only too eviden'
from the attempt to grab 1000, 900 acres
| of cattle range in Eddy and Chave'
| county under the guise of a bisol
| range; by the syndicate being organ
lied to buy ranches just this side thu
line; and lastly by the solid vote of Is
Texas delegates in support of a reso
luton that the government should leas'
lands. Texas kept her lands when sh'
came into the Union. The range coun
try there has all been purchased a
nominal figures or leased by the BIZ
companies that have strung wire
across the plains.
Most Of the cattlemen of southern
New Mexico came from Texas. The.
were crowded out. A lease law woult
again make man, of them move, for tn
same cause would produce the same re
suit. If alive to the danger they ar
against the leasing proposition. Their
is no indication that any cattlemen IL
New Mexico wish the government t.
enact a lease law.
All over Colorado the associations o
cattle owners have met and petitionet
congress not to pass a lease bill. Som
great cattle corporations there ar
working by other methods to ~influenc
congress f%avorably toward the propo
sition. It is not a question between
sheep owners and cattlemen any longer
The vast majority Of herd owners know
now that they as well as the sheep me-
will suffer if the range be wired.
Who Is Americana