The San Angelo press. (San Angelo, Tex.) 1897-1907, 1902-07-09
FENCES MUST GO.
Government Determined TO move
Fences on Public Lands
without Delay.

A recent Washington special
gives the final acts of govern
ment officials in the much dis
cussed matter of the removal OF
fences erected by cattlemen in
the territories, on government
lands. The special says:
The cattlemen have made a
final and wholly unsuccessful eff
fort to secure some modification
of the official order for the remov-
al of the fences from the public
ranges Of the country. A delega-
ton of Western senators and
congressman appealed to the
President Thursday to grant
further extension of time for the
removal of the drift" fences on
the ranges. The President frank
ly and firmly declined to further
hold back the enforcement of the
order. The same men appealed
to Mr.. Hitchcock, secretary OF
the interior, but we're unsuccess-
full.
When the order was issued by
ne President for the removal OF
the fences in April the cattlemen
urged delay, asserting that their
herds were being prepared
for the spring markets, and that
the enforcement of the fence re-
moval order would work a great
hardship and financial loss upon
the cattle owners. Upon that
showing the President who I'M
derstands the conditions of the
ranges, agreed to defer the en-
forcement of the order until July
II. The cattlemen took advan-
tage of the respite and made every
effort to secure the passage by
Congress of leasing bill which
would give them authority tc
fence up something like 1926, 900
600 of the public lands in the
Western states. Mr.. Hitchcock
secretary of the interior, made al
open, determined and successful
fight against the passage of any
leasing bill. He demonstrated tc
the satisfaction of the committees
on public lands that any such en-
actment would serve as a practl
cal bar to the homesteading o
these lands, and would also worl
a hardship upon the small CATTLE
owners in the West. The bills
were all defeated.
Then the big cattle owners re
newed their pressure upon thu
President for further modifica
ton of the order. They urge'
that they be allowed to retail
their drift fences across the rang
es at distances of from twenty t.
thirty miles apart, which serve a
protection to the cattlemen, pre-
venting their cattle from drifting
away from prescribed sections
These fences were allowed to stan'
without much objection by tn
government officials, until it wa
claimed the cattlemen began fenc
ing across the the ends and con
Meeting the drift" fences int
enormous pastures. Settlers VIII
attempted to remove any of thes
fences for the purpose of maxim
roads were frequently assaulte
and brutally treated, so it was re
ported, by the cowboys. Tn
President and the secretary of tn
interior are determined that thes
fences shall be removed. "Ther
is no DESIRE" said Mr.. Hitchcock
: "on the part of the department
to cause the cattlemen any injur
) or loss, but there will be no furtf
er modification of the law fo
, their benefit. If they show dir
t position to remove the fence
they will be given u reasonabl
= time to do so, and will be above
r to make provisions for the protec
) ton of their herds. But the rams
7 es belong to the whole people, an
8 the settlers and smaller cattl
, owners will be protected in the
rights"
t Special agents of the land de
t partment will give attention t
h. this matter during the summe
! moths Reports of violations {
3 the law and the refusal of tn
e cattlemen to remove the fence
, will be made into the departmer
a of justice and the violators pre-
ceeded against,
= John Rae, the DEVILS Riy,