The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-09-28


property. This man Will advocate that
the government should lease its graz
ing land TO the highest bidder for a
twenty years term with privilege of re-
newal and lease in such tracts as the
applicant may desire.
A policy sucn as this would put the
grazing states entirely into the hands
Of the large cattle and sheep interes IS.
lit would stop settlement and drive the
small ranchers 20 the wall IN view of
these self-evident propositions it is
doubtful whether congress could be IN
duced to consider this plan, which is
now being advocated SO strenuously BY
the organization representing the big
cattle ranchers.
Some OF the most eminent authorities
in land matters have favored a govern
ment classification of the public land.
and subsequently leasing those which
We're declared TO be purely grazing. It
may be safely said that a classification
of the public lands of the United States
today is an impossibility- The grazing
land Of esterday is the irrigated farm
of today, the grazing land of today
may be the home of the homestead
farmer tomorrow. 1t would be exceed
ingly unsafe for the government to at
tempt any classification of the public
domain with the idea that such classi-
fication should govern Legislation OF
should hold good for any term Of
years 1t viii take at least a genera
ton to determine even approximately
which land in the arid states is Also
lutely uninhabitable or cannot be cul-
tivated.
the public lands can be found; men who
believe that the government of each
state is better able to judge of the ne
cessities in the case than the general
government Those who believe IN this
idea would have the United States.
while retaining title to the grazing
lands. give their management and con-
troll over to each state allowing that
IN 10 Ions I7a TG
made to placate the irrigationisIs by
those who favor state control by sug
sesting that the rental from these
lands should be devoted to the reclal,la-
ton of arid sections by the construction
of government irrigation works.
A careful analysis of public sentiment
however tnaI a majority OF the people
are moi only opposed to state control of
any leasing system whlch may pc aeopIeu,
bal are also oppossa 70 any leasing
cattle and sheep men monopoly of
free grass It IS generally agreed that II
a practicable scheme can be devised for
leasing the public lands it would do away
with many serious evils and pc an adVan-
tage to the states i'm which 1t was adopt
go LileIs y 4 " Asll, nov t1 -
question the situation would be made
even now. The small ranchers OF the
grazing states do not pull together in
nizing that fact they predict the lneyita-
bic control of the ranges by large lnd1Vld-
ual or corporate interests if a leasing sys-
The only plan which has been suggested
which would protect all those concerned
is one which would be bitterly opposed BY
the owners Of large herds of live stock.
meaning corporation as well Individual
owning. occupying pr cpltiYating a 1860
four sections Of $3.50 acres Of grazing
land. these leases to be made from year
say ? cents an acre, and the land to be
always subject to homestead entry by any
sion to be given 10 fence individually in
common and protection afforded the les
by others. Such leasing system as this
would make a pasture an appurtenance of
homestead or 100 acres of an immense
holding by some nonresident corporation.
Tt would not hinder settlement in any
way. it would give the intending set
tier his choice of any vacant land to
tie 1t would make each settler indepen-
dent Of powerful interests and protect
herd of stock necessary to every western
The local land offices could handle these
leases under direction from Washington
the same as they now handle the entries
federal function. would remove ele-
ment of local favoritism which has in
lands owned by states Under such a sys-
tenn as this large amount of free range
men. but in time this would be absorbed
by a population becoming denser every
The result of the present system Of free
range Is to encourage fraud In the use Of
terror in his current annual report con
era tulates himself and the country upon
twelve months 1873 homestead entries
made i'm excess of those filed in 1900 That
there were IS. 6fS homestead entries COW
ering g. .245 acres of land 1t is a well
known fact that at least five years ago.
with the exception of Indian reservations
and districts reclaimed BY ditch CON-
area Of the west was practically exhaust
ed. Allowing as a liberal estimate that
which the secretary of the interior offers
his congratulations. We're made by gen
We're fraudulent in that they We're used
by people under varying circumstances
ment Of the country As desirable land
becomes scarcer ana the contest FOR Tree
are more prone to employ men to use
their homestead right to hie upon land
the range. and the increasing number of
homestead filings. which under the pres
chases. simply means that fraud is be-
coming more extensive and holder IN its
Those who most earnestly advocate the
leasing Of the public grazing lands and
gress. as they fear that bv the time bill
neceSsarx sa faalia rtis will have been
omitted OF the bill will be in such a shape
as 10 lNcFea+e@ rather imam decrease the
difficulties now existing The sole pur-
nose and intent Of the administration of
the public lands by the government is to
ia cilitate settlement and SO increase the
popula tion of the western states 1t has
never been the intention to make the sale
of the public domain profitable opera
ton There has been WastefJ1 extraVa-
gance in the past and viii be in the fu-
ture. but where the government has erred
il has been in direction of lberaiity' to-
wards the homeseeker- As the area of
free land contracts and it becomes !
more and more apparent that there are
few acres which will not in
time be made habitable the question of /
the administra tion Of the remaining pub
lie domain becomes Of increasing impor- (
tance.
The sensible. profitable and most scien- |
tifc management of the public grazing |
lands would imply payment for their use
far more important principle must gov
arn. however. and that is the welfare Of |
lll.. honest "a der lie is the |