The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-03-02
LEASING OF PUBLIC LANDS.
Rernonstrances Being Circulated All Over the City
and Yellowstone County.
Full Text of the Bill introduced by Senator Foster
of Washington.

as stated in last Tuesdays Gazette, are to Individuals Dr. corpoations: makips
AGAINST any and every proposition for it a misdemeanor, punishable by fn
They c1syb have ss had n"S" printed H%"il and "a a 'se'e e %ea: S leased isnas' Whe s s'' fspe ss'e OR 10
::::%: & 6: t ;!:ss:' I'll: s : ':s' "a: s:ss !ss: ." y; use. s; yss. ' ;ss:"ss .r :;a s:
sent to every postofhce in the county. against the enactment Of said bill ii
a sssans nc 'i to Mon,ana's '@ sspsess en-: u Situated te% as we ar in the center o.
tatves in congress during the present one Of the largest sections Of unsettled
heads the list Of signatures in Billings the great evil and inoalouabe mischief
and all remonhraroe blanks in cicu- tho enactment # this proposed measure
ladon should be sent to him not later would incur.
than March aoth. The remonsranoe isl It'll apparent that under the provi
: s:::;;s: :: :: '' IT, " ss, 10 ss' ':p' .: ; 4: ;.s :' =: ss s:'s'i 5: ! !:z; 'ss:' ! sss
To the Senators and REPRESENTATIVES of laws Of the United States would be
county. Montana, desire to call Your at be unAmernan and will, as we believe
tenton to a bill entitled Senate Bill jeopardize the interests O a vast numb
the Ss v Vest: 'G i1' rss.'"f By e1 ssnat ts1 rs., en- ; ss,s st 'o years s Of i p;1a,;os WI" and "s 'S
H ias W sd witla;ia DsGr,@'f 41o% for ss s"i isst t sn1ot 3 sp ns@ sss ~ ~s m a%s win iny ssp fns:
a minimum rental Of one eet per acre; the territory affected, and We are there
the sole right to say whether lands object Tie leasing Of the public domain.
secretary Of the interior the right to threaened and that you will cooperate
s saspess Of f's ssn. ~Eh ins ' pusls for i.n ss with IS to defeat this proposed measure
The hill introduced by Senator Foster is as follows:
,on Sec !, That That , ,, e the public Lands westo of the ssth meridian Of
s aeaf,a1Ss " sss n nt@~ e Saisass for as sr an ne j j%as% fr et Gt the s. sse's s%My Of of
'' sss' t. to Tease Ts t ss ssa5n si p ss,ges's.,. shall, furnish to ii. secretary Of
under m% the pso 7i% s Of this iS '' as, as%s ni TING ' ian saos sh n ts the to lands .s ''s sss5
ARE ARE TO G De TIN hno auee lin ga ea ;nom separate te Lease ease and the minimum rental per
te ,l lists the % secretary nsr Of the interior shall instruct the commissioner Of
1 e%. they b y shall 27M not be s, opened u"%1 for fl. fling ago. Or anty under any Of the land
1 hMs 81 and %s w Tpre" SI iessed T ianas s as en oass exists az. m;n sna1p amd. a. III mineral raj
land n,oa, laws ,;,o O. the qnted States they shall : ' cancelled from t5s i l"s and nd
Sec. 4. That the money derived from rentals shall ba converted into
the treasury of the United States, and ehalf the gross amount col.
lec6di in such states shall be paid to the treasurer of that state, to be
used for irrigation and other agricultural development in such way as its
legislature may direct.
Sec. B. The rate of rental in Il o case shall be less than cent per acre
per annum; the amount Of annual rental in u me lease shall o be
less nal $le and II lease shall be made for a longer period than ton
years; provided, tata n lease may be renewed fore ne O more periods
not exceeding ten years. upon thea approval of the secretary Of agriculture
and at sucbr ateof rental as 10 may designate.
Sec. o. All leases made unde this at shall be for the smallest area
compatible with the bestu utilization o the land for grazing purposes.
&c., z. After lands shall have been leased under the provisions of
this act, it will be unlawful for any one except the lessee to enter upon
such lands for the purpose Of grazing stock thereon, and such entry shall
o. deemed a misdemeano1, punishable by a fine not to exceed $500, Or
mpisonme tfora period not exceeding ax months, or both, and the
fines collected shall be paid into the public schools funds Of the county
ID which the lands whereth he ofense wa committed are situated.
Sec {. Leases shall be made only to citizens If the United States
who are residents Of the state in which the land il located, or to orpo
atons organized under the laws of that state.
Sec. {. Whenever, in the Judgment of the secretary Of agriculture,
it's to the interest of tho United States to consolidate areas of grazing
lands Tor leasing under the provisions of this act, the secretary of the
interior is authorized to exchange public grazing lands with the states or
private owners for other grazing lands Of practically equal value.
Sc 10. The secretary Of the interior and the secretary OF agriculture
shall jointly prescribe the necessary rules and regulations for carrying
into efect the provisions of this act.