The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1901-12-24
FARMERS TAKE ACTION.
A Memorial Against Selling Public Lands To
BE sent 10 Congress

Be sent 10 Congress
At the mass meeting Of farmers and
others held in the court house last sat
ur,lay decisive measures were taken in
opposition To the sale or lease OF the
public lands as proposed by the bill OF
Congressman Jones now before congress
\ memorial was drafted by unanimous
vote Of the body setting forth the oppo-
sition Of the people of this valley to the
/ bill and committee was appointed to
draft bill to be presented to congress
this session for the better protection of
the water sheds OF the Yakima valley
and for enlarging the reserve.
! ! pursuance to u call made at Il meet
ing in the Mckee about 100 farmers met
at the court house at p. m. and took
action in the matters above mentioned.
John Loudon was made chairman of the
meeting and l.. c. Parrish was chosen
secretary. After few remarks ANNOUNCE
ing the object of the meeting the chair
man called on Mr.. Parrish to read the
memorial. Preceding the reading Mr..
Parrish made few remarks on the
great question OF the public domain.
The memorial was adopted a. read after
a number OF remarks on it. james Wi
ley proposed that the part Of President
Roosevclts message on arid land and
forest reserve be endorsed. but the
body did not feel like doing this.
w. g. Girifiiths proposed that bill be
drafted calling for a better protection of
the reserves as did also T. u. Quinn. j.
| D. Medill made a motion that the forest
reserves be made larger, which was car
ried and embodied in the memorial. 4
letter from A. j. Splawn was read and
approved and collection OF $3.50 was
taken up to pay a bill ii j. ~ Nedll's
for printing. The following committee
was retained to look after the circulation
OF the petition and to secure signatures
James Wiley, John Rodman D. :. John
ston \. NJ. Bot, l.. {. Parrish W. e..
Gritliths, J. X. Bell and John l.oudon.
Before adjourning ii was decided to hold
another meeting on the 4th OF January.
Following is the memorial.
To the Honorable George Turner and
Honorable W. l.. Jones, senator and
representative from the state of WASH
ington and members of the 57th con-
gress, greeting.
! Whereas, There is now pending legis-
lation regarding the sale and leasing for
grazing purposes the undisposed public
lands; and.
Whereas, We believe that the sale or
leasing OF the undisposed lands would
destroy the fundamental object and pur-
pose Of our government 10 foster settle
ment and improvement and development
OF the same and we further believe that
such sale or leasing would be- in the in
terest OF the few, fostering their industry
and Gripping the homeseeker; and.
Whereas, Under each Of the pending
bills before your honorable body only
those few spots adjacent to streams or
certain mountain springs would be pur-
chased and enclosed, thus making those
purchasers masters OF all the rest Of the
public domain; and We further believe
that while the purchaser or lessee al such
favored spots would be greatly benefited
whole communities would suffer eternal
| drouth;
Therefore, We, the undersigned hum
bic petitioners and citizens without re-
gard to party, ask Of You that each Of those
bills now pending before your honorable
body be defeated. And your petitioners
having drawn lessons and opinions from
| the regulations OF national parks and res
ervations, and perceiving no less than a
hundred restrictions imposed upon them,
believe that, for the good Of the COM
monwealth and duration OF the ranges.
some Of these restrictions could be- made
to apply 10 the whole unoccuped and
unclaimed public domain We see sad
havoc to the once well-grasscd lands
caused by negligence, such as herding
and driving large bands OF stock in the
spring when the ground is muddy and,
too, the excessive grazing in seed time Of
our native grasses prevents re-seeding
of the same. Now, we would recommend
that no stock be herded or driven dur
/ ing the months OF December, January,
| February and March on any OF the pub
lie lands. And we, your petitioners,
further represent that the natural wat
ershed OF this, the Yakima valley, il
not being properly protected. We,
therefore, request your good offices in
the matter of procuring by necessary
legislation extensions to the present
Cascade forest reserves, in order that
the sources of certain streams which we
depend on for water be included within
Ii the boundaries of saiI racarvats,n .,,,l