New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-04-30
WAR ON THE BEEF TRUST
PRESIDENT ORDERS FENCES
TORN Do WN.
STOPPING ILLEGAL USE OF PUBLIC
DOMAIN By WESTERN CATTLEAIEN
IN HOPE OF REDUCING
MEAT PRICES.
MEAT PRICES.
IBT TELEGRAPH TO THE TBIRCNE.l J

/ GBT TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIRCNEI
! Washington. April 29.-President Roosevelt 10
satisfied that if the Illegal of the public do
/ main for pasturage be stopped. and the
! fences unlawfuy raised by the Cattle Trust TO
irclose millions of acres of Western public lands
/ can be torn down. the power of the Eastern
Beef Trust will be neutralized. and the price of
beef to the consumer will inevitably fall. Double
war will be begun on the Beef Trust the one
hand. under the statutory limitations against
conspiracy to control the supply of beef. and on
the other by enforcing compliance with the pub
lie land regulations which forbid cattle men to
+ fence in public reservations for pasturing pur-
poses. This question was the all absorbing topic
under consideration at the regular session OF
/ the Cabinet this forenoon The Presidents de-
termination to order down all fences which have
been built for miles in the grazing States in
which there public reservations was clearly
set forth in a positive statement communicated
to Charles Goodnight. of Denver, Col, president
Of the Interstate Land and Cattle Company.
with headquarters in that city Prominent
sociates with him in this enterprise R. c.
Walker and r. S. Benson. A letter sent to
the president of this company in answer to
appeal made directly to the President for per-
mission to retain possession of portion of land
for which i'll founded claim has been made
with remarkable persistency. In compliance
with of the requests in this appeal. the date
fixed for the evacuation Of this area was ex-
tended from April 1 to July 1. 1t was also or
dered that if these men discovered at
tempting to build fences to lease public
lands. the order granting the desired extension
Of time to vacate would be rescinded- The
Presidents decision then embodied In
general order. which sent to every land
agent in the West.
The land occupied by the Interstate Land and
Cattle Company is in the southeastern part Of
-.ew-Mexieo. in the counties of Chaunes. Eddy
and Guadaoupe, being portion Of the tract
concerned in the Beales and Rayuela claim.
For years it was occupied and fences were con-
structed thereon. Cattle numbering forty thou
sand grazed within the fencing. A few years
ago the right of these claimants TO use the land
was contested. Finally decision given by
the Supreme Court declaring the land to be pub
lie territory of the United States ceded by the
Mexican Government. The claimants were COM
manded to surrender IL. but the plea that
they had expended large sums Of money for
improvements. and would be ruined by being
required to remove Immediately they were per-
mitted TO remain until April 1 last. They ap-
pealed 70 the Secretary of the Interior for new
respite. This refused. and then appeal
was taken to tha President. setting forth that
contracts had been made to deliver thousands
Of cattle by June 1. which could not possibly
be done il the fences were taken down because
the cattle of the International Land and Cattle
Company would mix with others pasturing near
by 1t was contended that il would be impos-
sbIe to separate them in time for prompt de-
livery failure to do which would the
companys financial ruin.
ENCROACHMENTs OF CATTLE MEN
One Of the primary causes of the jump in
the price Of beef without any benefit TO the
individual cattle raiser has thus been brought
to the attention of federal officials. Glanctng at
the records 1t was discerned how gradually in
the last three years acres upon acres have
been gobb1ed up by the agents of the cattle
men. or the Beef Trust. Reports of unlawful
fence raising reached Washington one after an
other Following them came information of OBJ
stinate refusals to obey the orders Of agents
endeavoring to carry out their instructions A.
crisis in the beef question has now come with
the determination of the President to clear the
public lands of unlawful intruders The en-
forcenent of the measure planned by the adj
ministration will unavoidabIy be an important
victory for the sheep men, who may Craze their
focks freely without being cheated out oe
pasture fenced un1awfu1iy. AS a matter of fact,
neither of these rangers have a right 70 utilize
the public lands for grazing purposes, but TO
control the movements of animals TO that ex-f
tent is almost an impossbilfty with the presents
force of land office employees.
When difficulty about the grazing lands was
first suspected by Secretary Hitchcock, before
the rise in prices of meat was noticeable. he
tried to effect solution of the problem by secur-
ing a regulation rent the public lands TO
grazers at 81 a head. as Is now done In all Ind
ian reservations Grazing in the unculttvated
lands OF the Comanche and Kiowa Indians. for
instance are more than fifty thousand cattle.
for which a ranger named Burnette pays 81 a
head But the proposition Of the Secretary OF
the Interior being referred to the Attorney Gem
eral by executive order, was returned with an
opinion that it would be unlawful 70 levy SUCH
rent At present there IS movement on footr
which the cattle and meat interests now using
public lands for pastures hope 10 use as means
TO postpone the evacuation day-to secure
namely the passage of a bill by Congress pro-
yIding for the leasing of public lands at the rate
of two cents a head for the use of each acre.
But officials cannot view this suggestion with
favor remarking that. pending the introduction
and discussion Of such legislation. the lands
must not be used by graZeTs-
1t is ascertained that among several other
-rou blesome concerns in New-MeXtco is the Cass
Land and Cattle Company. There are upward
of fifty Individual cattle rafsers in Nebraska
who have built fences on public lands without
aut hority and in Kansas. wyoming, oregon and
Colorado there other interests, corporate ana
private which have unWarrantably eoniscated
he land of the United States by fencing it in to
feed thousands of cattle. There is reason TO be-
ieve that all these trespassers are allied under
,ne powerful leadership