Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-11

5raska during the great rush Of 1854. 1885
those lands which from their outward APP
pearance were believed TO be the best agri-
cultural. and the lands which are now left
open to settlement are those which they did
not think were farming lands. but which
he eastern people now have been led to be-
These lands Of western Nebraska that
are still open to settlement are not farm
ing lands, and we challenge the denial of
this statement. on the part Of any one who
may wish TO know the truth. and we In
vtte and urge that congress send a commit
tee 60 investigate these conditions and de.
termine the character Of these lands and
the truthfulness OF these statements.
Decrease In Population.
The vote in Box Butte county in 1855 was
l.325, while the number Of votes cast at the
last election, on November ?, 1872, outside OF
since 1886, is now but l07. Even this latter
number includes many people who are rail-
road or other employees ana not engaged In
agricultural pursuits. At the time the vot-
ing population was greatest there was not
an Incorporated village in the county, and
settlers were almost entirely engaged in
filling the soil. If these people could have
supported their families and made a living
by farming they would have been there
today and irstead OF having a rural vote OF
only 47 in a county containing l,USO square
miles, which Box Butte county contains,
with natural growth the vote would have
Oeen above 1900.
For the eastern press to now assume that
these lands are agricultural and mt for
other purposes than grazing is not borne
out by experience, ana to a resident OF THIS
section is simply a ridiculous statement.
Time has shown that the homestead laws
passed in 1862, which were intended to Sc
cure actual, bona ide settlers upon the gov
eminent lands for a period of hve years
for the purpose of developing and improv-
ing them from an agricultural standpoint,
were very good for the middle west; but
are not applicable TO a particle of the lands
remaining subject to entry at this time, for
no man can go upon a single quarter sec
ton of government land In the west today
without irrigation and support himself, 10
say nothing about supporting a family. A
has arisen, and the sooner the eastern peo-
pie and the government recognizes this
fact and amends the laws to meet the
present requirements of the west that much
sooner will development and progress pro-
coed in accordance with the laws OF ma
ture and existing conditions, Congress mas
already, in a measure, recognized the fact
that some of the old land laws were not
practical, could not be enforced ana were a
mere farce. Such was the final fate OF the
timber culture law, which was repealed by
congress in 1891. The law which was In
tended to encourage the growth of timber
trees or induce any rainfall, and as applied
to the western lands at that time was OF no
ttiEmTeee tS Saf congress- Stpegt; will see the homestead
law IN equally as impracticable as a means
of settling the range lands Of the west, ex-
cept where there are small tracts that
might be brought under irrigation.
In Favor of Irrigation.
The people of the west are not opposed,
but are very much in favor of the new irrt-
cation law, but there are Immense tracts
of land that this us law ,rT,g a9es n snd re wSicb ans is
only fit for stockraising, and Which must
be disposed of along some line suitable 70
the a~daptability of these lands. AS to these
land laws. the same as any other law you
can frame them which way you Will, but
their enforcement and tenure depends upon
| uyhather thew meet the conditions, neCe6El-
ties and requirements of the people, ana
whether they are supported by the masses;
BY this we do not mean to be UNDERSTOOD
TO advocate the repeal of the homestead
/ law, but we do ask for the passage OF
some equitable act providing a method
whereby the government may lease the
range lands at some. price commensurate
with their worth and under such reguia-
tions as the department may deem pracuc-
able and suitable to the country. There are
millions Of acres of the pablo domain that
Doses and al present there Is no law suit
able to carry out such objects. The leasing
of these lands would bring a large and per.
| the same time does not In any manner con-
hict with the existing homestead Law.
What Fences Are For.
Much criticism has been made against
men who have fenced pastures from the
public domain, and to this We would say
necessities Of the business and have been
constructed not for the purpose OF keeping
0u1 s% sseeins P S1s STOCK IUp tn Separate GgRe'fi in IS such a
way that he may care for. II, both, winter
and summer, and, BY, the use of the best
breeding, animals In the past few years ne
quality OF his cattle, which Improvement
never would have taken place had his cattle
been allowed to run, at large. That THESE
fences arc an absolute necessity 10 the
business is well known by all the people OF
the range country, and are indispensable 10
the Improvement Of the herds and for the
being overetocked and ruined. The govern
ment lands thus fenced are utterly useless
for any purpose other than grazing,
/ lease law went into effect in the state OF
Texas and the leaseholders have a pro-
prietary interest In the land, that they nave
guarded against the destruction of the
natural grasses and the quality OF, forage
has increased fully 100 per cent ana where
six years ago II took seventy acres TO sup
mort a steer II now requires but twenty
acres. The same would be true Of western
Nebraska If the. parties who used the lands
had a future interest In them. They would
not be permitted to be overstocked, such
as is the case where the range is open to
all.
Not for big CattIemen.
IT has been stated that this agitation is
that of the large cattle grower only, VINO
Is seeking to force out the small cattlemen,
supported by the conditions and the true
facts. II the fences were removed the
large cattleman could AFFORD his range
riders and pursue the old-time roundup
with his mess wagon and branding outfit,
and would thus claim all the mavericks OF
the little fellows or small cattlemen, who
looking after his stock. as the returns from
his small herd would not warrant the eN-
pense. Besides. the small cattleman must
borrow the money for hiH business from
loan with the fences down and the range
being gradually ruined. The statement that