The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-28

| II HE livestock business of Utah is
making rapid progress through
that state of transition which has
characterized its tendency for a period
of five years or more Ii differs from
the same pursuit in other states only
in the rapidity with which the change
is being brought about
The most successful of our cowmen
and sheepmen of today are those who
foresaw the inevitable trend Of the
range situation and governed them
! selves according to such foresight
They long ago relinQuished the hope of
ranching renaissance and began
shaping their herds or foclzs to fit the
new conditions
No More Open Range.
The day of the open range cattle
business is becoming a memory in this
state, and its return is q hopeful deiu-
| sion no longer cherished by any consid-
cradle number of thai, picturesque con-
! tingent of the saddle, iron. RATA and
the roundup.
The barb wire fence in some localities
still preserves a semblanee of the once
Well-soddcd and luxuriously erased
/ ranges of Utah. and delays the passing
Of the chuck wagon, the remuda and
the cowboy from the scene; but this
/ rupts the translation Of the cowman
to a farmer; the chuck wagon to an
| inhospitable vehicle with a hay frame
on it, and the hero of the Quirt and
spurs to a prosaie irrigator in rubber
boots with the --LATEST kind of fat
heels
Change Is Wonderful.
The change is one for mournfuI con-
temptation for other than sentimental
merger is not in the man nor his oc-
cupation. 1t grows out Of the forces
which compelled the change, viz, the
decadenee of the range Once we'll
sodded and waving with grasses. the
latter now resembles, in surface out
put. the farmers unseeded potato patch
neglected because of the poverty of its
production.
The plains and prairies are sterile.
the sod is wholly destroyed and decay
has pursued the grass roots to their
uttermost depths over much of the
country.
The range is gone. It is idle and
profitless now to discuss the causes Of
its destruction Its restoration is a
more promising theme. To this end the
forces of nature. to be effective in a
reasonable length of time, must receive
substantial supplemental aid. The
range must be reserved. Not perhaps
in 1000 years would the winds. waters
and Gods sunshine accomplish the re-
newal in a natural way while timber
reserve permits for f1ackmasters. eight
foot sickle bar machines and rapid-fire
lawn mowers with their "coonie'' at
tachments continue to operate
Difficult to Secure Aid.
"A stupendous labor" calculates the
unthinking; ''ImpracticabIei" gruff1y
declares the legislative guardian of the
national domain; and stop thief!s vo-
ciferously shouts the free grass lobby
whenever this need and method for its
accomplishment have been submitted
Tor the consideration Of congress. They
delay progress in their disposition to
maintain the old order of things re-
specting the arid lands and are blind
ing themselves to the undesirable ply
steal changes proceeding with indubit-
able certainty, will-nilly.
The first class of DIRECTORS are unable
to comprehend the value to the country
at large of a grass producing area thou
sands of miles in extent. If it cannot
be formed, it is unworthy OF attention
They have preferred that the govern
ment continue to hold these lands as a
dead asset without hope of resurrec-
ton rather than give their support to
a remodeling of land laws which have
long since served their ends and the
designs of their far-seeing and Just
intentioned trainers.
A Mistaken Notion.
The second class who protest against
any change from present methods be-
cause the plans proposed are imprac-
ticable are afflicted with the much mis-
taken belief that the government viii
still be able to stick a family at every
quarter section Of land in the arid coun-
try. Their theory of reclamation has
1lz xs-f+h he q
tasseled corn and bearded grain for its
basis; rather than bunch grass, the
erispy buffalo variety and the graceful
ly nOdding gramna of the frontier pc
Rod. Their desire finds its horizon
within the limits of the antiquated
"homesteading" act and their judgment
Is Sentlmentally affected by the origin
ally commendable intention of that law
and others for the benefit OF the old
soldiers.
People Who Need Protection.
The third class OF people who oppose
changes from system of administer
ing the public lands under which de-
struction has progressed to the verge
OF sterility are the sort OF people to be
protected against themselves. CIamor-
Gus for free grass and unrestraiued
license to shift their fiocks upon every
blade that succeeds under favoring cir
cumstances in getting a glimpse of sun
light from grass roots in almost the last
stages Of decay, they will not see that
they are working their own undoing.
The COW range is already gone and
when the weeds which succeed
sod and virgin soil under the
influence of showers fail in their
abundance, as they must shortly. the
sustenance of Utah's lessening focks
win also, in range way. have van
ished.
Range Overstocked-
The cattle, sheep and horses ate the
buffalo, antelope and mustang of their
reservation and together have year aft
er year kept trimming the Wild grasses
to the dirt with the effectiveness Of a
lawn mower in good order and dill
gently operated In their superior sbil-
ity TO get farther down the roots Of the
plant than cattle, the sheep drove tie
cattle out and temporarily throxe on
their abandoned stamping grounds. to
force in these days the daNning really
alton upon their owners and all intelli-
gent observers that they have all but
eaten themselves out Of home, and
Hockmasters on the present scale out
Of an occupation.
Changed Conditions.
In the days Of the buffalo at least
one blade in every tuft of grass sue
cessfully made and ripened its seed.
to eventually work a renewed of the
plant automatically and surely: and
later the limited browsing Of fhs osf-