The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-07-11
FENCES MUST CONE down.
Government Turns Down the
Final Plea of the Big
Cattlemen.
HISTORY OF the WHOLE AFFAIR
And It's Connection With the
Lease Law That Met
Defeat.
Cattlerf1en,

The big cattlemen have made
final and wholly unsuccessful effort
to secure some modification of the
official order for the removal of the
fences from the public ranges of the
country. A delegation of western
senators and congressman made
final appeal to the president to
grant further extension Of time
for the removal of drift fences on
the ranges. The president frankly
and firmly declined to further hold
back the enforcement of the order.
The same men then appealed to Mr..
Hitchcock, secretary Of the interior,
but were unsuccessful
When the order was, in April, is
sued for the removal OF the fences,
the big cattlemen urged delay, as
sorting that their stock was being
rounded up for the summer markets
and that the enforcement of the
fence removal would work a great
hardship and financial loss upon the
cattieowners. Upon that showing,
the president agreed to defer the
enforcement of the order until July
lst. Representatives of the big cat.
tlemen took advan tage of the res
pite and made every effort to secure
the passage by congress Of lease
law which would give them author
ity to fence something like 1926, 000,-
900 acres of the public lands in
the western states. Secre tary
Hitchcock made an open and deter
mined fight against the passage Of
any leasing bill, showing tnat any
such enactment would serve as a
practical bar to the demonstrating
of these lands, and would also work
a hardship upon the small cattle
owners. The bills all went down &c
defeat.
The big cattlemen renewed their
pressure upon the president for 9
further modification of the order
They urged that they be allowed te
retain their drift fences. These
are fences across the ranges at dis
tauces Of from twenty to thirty
miles apart which serve as protec
ton to cattlemen in preventing cat
tie drifting away from their range
These fences were allowed to stand
witt, but little objection by govern
ment officials, ssatil the big. cattle
men began fencing across the end
! and connecting the drift fences in
to enormous pastures, Smaller set
!. tiers who attempted to remove tn
fences for the purpose of maxim
: roads were often assaulted. Mi
lions ofacres of the range are no,
fenced in and held by the larger ca
tlemen without warrant of law.
The president and secretary {
the interior are determined tha
these fences shall be removed wit
: as little delay as possible. 'Thel
: is no DESIRE" says Mr.. Hitchcocl
son the part Of the department
E cause cattlemen any injury or los
" but there will be no further modi
i. cation Of the law for their benei
70 If they show a dis position to remo'
: the fences, they willsbe given re
e sonable time in which to do so, an
I'd will be allowed to make provision
IN for the protection Of their herd
q 2, But the ranges belong to the who
: people, and the settlers and small
r. stockmen are going to be protects
id in their rights. These illegal fenc
have got to come down.
., Special agents Of the land depal
ne ment will give attention to Il
n matter during the summer month
IS Reports of violations of the law al
81 the refusal Of cattleownsrs to j
az move the fences will be prompt
20 made to the department. Of JUST
and the yiolators will be proceed
II against.
D, ,r- For Sale Ono good yearling B
g. three fourths blood Hereford 8.
Bryce Reed. Rapid City s. D.