The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-12-13
THE LEASING BILL.
Measure American Cattle Growers
Association Wants Enacted.

"
the full text of the bill which the
American Cattle Growers association
is seeking to have enacted into law
The leasing bill,' as it is popularity
known, is a measure familiar by name
to almost everybody interested in the
cattle and stock business in the west
and it's general purpose is also more
or less familiar to all, but only very
few have ever seen copy of the pro-
posed measure and in order that all
may become acquainted with it's pro-
visions and be given the opportunity
to express themselves regarding it
is herewith published.
The title of the bill is, "a Bill to
Provide for the Leasing for Grazing
Purposes of Vacant Public Domain,
and Reserving all Rights Of Home
stead and Mineral Entry" The bill
itself is as follows:
Section 1. Be it enacted by the SEN
ate and house of representatives of
the United States of America in con-
gress assembled That all vacaEt pub.
lie lands west of the ore hundredth
meridian west from Greenwich shall
be leased for stock-grazilg purposes.
subject to the right of homestead and
mineral entry under existing laws of
the United States, and when so en-
tered, to be Cancelled from the lease.
"Sec. 2. Leases of such lands shall
not be subject to bid. The uniform
rental shall be cents per acre per an
mum, payable annually in advance,
and preference for such leases shall
be given to owners of cultivated agri-
cultural land, for leasable lands abut-
ting upon their freeholds in proper
tion of ten acres of leasehold to one
acre of freehold. A like preference
of ten acres of leasehold to one acre
of freehold shall be given to stock
growers who are also freeholders; this
preference shall apply only to lands
within the counties upon which their
stock habitually range. If in case
of either of the preferences above
provided there shall not be sufficient
leaseable lands in the county to give
each person entitled to the preference
the maximum proportion of ten acres
to one, then said lands shall be pro
rated between the persons entitled
to such preference. The further pre-
ference to lands not leased under the
foregoing provisions Of this section
shall be given to stockgrowers who
were in actual use and occupancy of
said lands during the year ending Jan
uary 1, 1901, to be leased to them in
proportion to their respective inter
ests in and use therof. Where the
states lease state lands the bona fide
holders of such state leaseholds shall
| be beneficaries of the preference given
above to stockgrowers who are also
| freeholders; provided that such state
leaseholds are not held by any one
| person in tracts exceeding $40 acres
! in any one body Freehold rights un-
der this section shall not apply to
townsite property, nor to any lands
deriving title from Spanish or Mexi-
| can grants.
Sec. 8. All leases to run ten years,
with the privilege of renewal for sec
| ond term of ten years, the first Lessee
having the preference for such second
! term, provided he shall have complied
with the requirements of this law and
the terms of his lease, and has not
allowed his leasehold to deteriorate.
Sec. 4. The revenue derived from
! the leases herein authorized shall be
| paid into the treasury of the United
| States, and the net revenue after de-
| ducting the expense of administering
paid to such states and territories
wherein the leaseholds are situated,
as provide a state engineer and other.
proper means for devoting the same
| to the diversion or storage of water
and its distribution for irrigation OF
agricultural lands. Only such revenue
as is derived in any state or territory
shall be returned to it for such pur-
pose.
"Sec. 5. The secretary of the in
terror shall have the power to cancel
a lease when it's holder becomes in
eligible, and shall administer this act,
making all needful rules and regula-
tions for that purpose.
'Sec. 6. Nothing in this act shall
deprive the United States of control
of all reservations for any purpose,
now existing or herafter created.
"Sec. Z. This act to take effect and
be in force from and after it's
passage"