The Tucson citizen., 1902-05-19
THE LEASING OF PUBLIC LANDS.

tiu,ates that the bill introduced by
MIR. Lacey. of Iowa, in the House Of
Representatives.. is likely to find favor
with a majority. and may eventually
become law This measure provides
for the leasing of the public domain to
actual settlers for grazing purposes, in
moderate quantities, and excludes cor
porations from that favor. The bill Is
a substitute for the measure introduced
earlier in the session providing for the
leasing of the public domain without
any reservation.
1t is a matter of some doubt If a
leasing law of any kind is either
polite or necessary, but II lease law
must be enacted, there is scarcely a
doubt that the measure introduced by
Mr.. Lacey Is the most expedient and
just. According to reports to the In
terror Department the greater part of
the public domain In the west has been
illegally appropriated by the cattle
barons There is ground for suspicion
that the land grabbers have an 'un-
derstanding" with the meat trust. An
official of the Interior Department ex-
presses the opinion that the relations
between the trust and those who have
unlawGully taken possession of the
grazing lands in the western States
n-,1 al
on the surface. At any rate, the gov
ernmcnt Is apparently determined TO
eject the trespassers, even If force is
necessary.
The bold scheme of the syndicates
to absorb the best pasture lands in the
west deserves the severest condemna-
ton. The government is to be con-
graduated upon the efforts which 1t Is
making to protect the interests of the
country. The national policy is a
wise and benetcent one. 1t provides
for the distribution of the public do
main among actual home seekers and
settlers. Recently, however, settlers
in many of the western States and Ter
ritories have been compelled to make
their homes in the least desirable ter
ritory, the best and most productive
grazing acres having been illegally
fenced in by the cattle barons In
Nebraska the land thus unlawfully oc-
cupied comprises most of the public
land of that State still open to settle
lnent. In Arizona, California. Col
orado, Idaho, Kansas Montana, Ne
vada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ok
lahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Uta1,
Washington and Wyoming. many miles
OF land have been inclosed within wire
fHEces by combinations and syndicates
OF cattle raisers. In New Mexico the
situation is almost incredible. In our
neighboring Territory, it is alleged,
half of the public lands has been ille-
gally appropriated by the cattle
barons for pasturage.
II the bill originally introduced In
Congress. and that has the support of
the National Cattle Raisers' associa-
ton, should be made law, 1t is esti-
mated that 400,0O0,00 acres of vacant
public lands west Of the Mississippi
river would be monopoHzed by cattle
barons for an indefinite term OF years.
The bill not only provides for a long
lease of these valuable grazing lands
but also gives the syndicate the priyl
Iege OF renewal. Settlers seeking
homes would find the public domain
pre-empted by the cattle barons. Con-
ditions are bad enough under the ex-
listing system of Illegal occupation.
which the Interior Department is trv-
ing to break up. 1t is inconceiyahle
therefore, that Congress will enact
legislation perDetuating the system
however artfully the bill may be baited
with an amendment creating a fund
for irrigation. To lease the grazing
lands as proposed would enable tho !
syndicates In possession of the nublic |
domain to cooperate effectualIy with
the meat packers in maintaining n
meat monopoly. Anything like a COM |
tination between the cattle barons and
1ue meat trust would create such a
pfelucIce against national irrigation In |
Inc eastern States and in the great |
cities that 1t would be almost impos-
sible to get Congress to consider the
question. 1t would be far better to
apportion the public domain among
thrifty settlers, and let the country de-
pend upon them for its food supply.
than upon syndicates of cattlemen
whose relations with the meat trust are