Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-05-10
FENCES 70 COME DOWN
Tho President 10 After h Cattiemen
who "Reach OUT

Washington. May 5.-cassiemen who
have been fencing In the public domain
and running rough shod over all Interests
save their own have been called to an
accounting by direction OF the president.
Cattle fences nave been built for miles
I'm some Of the grazing states and wher-
ever public reservations are encroached
upon they must come down. Formai no
tees have been served on numerous IN
diyiduals and companies, against Which
complaint has been made.
Charles Goodnight, the Texas cattle
king. president of the Interstate Land
and Cattle company. has been brought up
with "A sharp turn. This concern has q
Kansas City and Denver connection ana
several Kansans are Interested in IT.
The land occupied by the Interstate
Land company is that known as the
Beales land grant and comprises some
80, 600, 600 acres of Ian In southeastern
New Mexico. The right Of the claim
ants TO use this land was contested In
court and a decision was rendered
against them. They were ordered &c
move their cattle by April j, and APP
pealed to the president TO grant them
more time. The representatives OF the
cattle company ~Contended that they
had spent vast sums of money In Inn
provements and IL compelled to move
III inc SDllIlB BIEdN iihAiiNA0a pS'N'
would result. They asked for six
months time, but were given until
July | by the president. who made the
supplemental order that If these men
were discovered attempting TO bulld
fences on or to lease public lands the
order granting the desired extensio@ -
time TO vacate would be rescinded. The
presidents decision was then embodied
i'm general orders.
70 10 raH1 that fhara arc T6H OF
fifty individual cattle raisers in Ne
braska who have built fences on pub
lie lands without authority. In kan
sas. Wyoming, oregon n COLORADO
there are other interests, corporate ana
private, which have u|nWarrantably
confscated the land OF the United
States by fencing II in to feed thou
sands Of cattle.
Cattle interests represented In Wash
ington are thoroughly aroused over the
position taken by the president and sec
rotary Of the interior. They have but
tonhOled various senator ~ repre-
s~entatives i'm an effort to secure legis-
lation which viii define their lights
and permit the uninterrupted use or
grazing lands which they now control.
The fight originated in the klowa-Co-
manche country, where homesteader
were for months ovcrrun by the big
AlNAN
The position OF the interior department
Is that, with the rapidly decreasing eX-
tent Of the public Ian II the greater
value TO the ranches, no CONCESSIONS
should be granted which VIII
delay the settlement of the west
by bona fide farmers. The admins
tration believes that checking unlawful
pasturage would benefit legitimate farm
Ing that stock would be better cared FOR,
and there would be IN increased produc-
ton OF beef and "A better quality. Sena-
tor Willard Of Nebraska Is authority TOT
the statement that the delegation from
his state would be n unit IN hBhtlng such
an order. and would unite in supporting
legislation providing for leasing public
lands. within the last week the Nebraska
congressman have introduced about hfty
cattlemen from that state to the White
house TO protest TO the president against
forcing the evacuation of these domains.
II is evident that they have reluctantly
decided that there Is no chance OF secur-
ing concessions from the executive au-
thoritics. and efforts have been turned to
congress. Representative Lacey OF Iowa,
chairman OF the committee on public
lands, has introduced IA bill 10 authorize
the secretary OF the interior to lease por-
lions Of the public domain for a period
OF Ave years. at the end OF which the
lenses are 10 expire without any rights
Of enewal. The intent of the bill Is to
pivo ample time for the cattlemen TO ar
range 10 vacate without mourning losses,
Tho rent rates proposed are one, two,
three. four. five and six cents a head an
acre. according to the grade OF the lana
occupied. Division Of the lands would he
made under this bill by the secretary OF
the interior.