Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1902-05-02
ANOTHER new
LEASING PROPOSITION
It is Made by Representative Lacey Who
FondIy DsIudss Himself That It Will be
Satisfactory to All Parties Interested
In the Public Domain.
HOWEVER IT IS the SAME OLD MEASURE
ONLY INA NOVEL AN0 DECEPTIVE FORM

A new leasing bill has been introduc-
ed in congress. Representative Lacey
of Iowa, is the author and he feels con-
yinced that he has solved the problem
and has devised measure that will be
satisfactory to everybody Interested
the following dispatch from Washing
ton indicates: although there is an
explica'ble desire on the part of nearly
every senator and representative to
sidestep all legislation that will settle
| the question of privileges of stock rails
ers on the public domain the problem
seems certain to come up for disposal
at an early day. The president has ex-
tended the time for the removal of IL
legal fences until July /. At that time
he states they must come down. Dele
cations from the ranges west have
been besieging the committee on public
lands in the senate and in the house
with demands for some kind Of legis-
lation for grazing privileges on the
public domain. They assert that con-
ditions on the public range are not
what they used to be and that if it is
proposed to let the grazing interests
take care of themselves as they have
in the past, there is going to be much
confusion and heavy loss to the public
land states.
"The bills providing for the leasing
of the public lands at present before
congress are satisfactory to few of the
law makers. In fact, the mere mention
of a leasing law in the halls of con-
gress is sufficient to bring out the ire
of nearly every senator and representa-
tive on whose ear it strikes.
Lease the public lands and You will
be giving away the rights of home
stead settlers and small cattle owners
to large corporations, who will use
every acre, has been the slogan
ASK ten congressman you meet for
a solution of the difficulty and from
nine of them the answer Invariably is:
I am in favor of no law that deals
with the leasing of public lands or
Let the cattlemen take care of them
selves, as they did before
Congressman Lacey of Iowa, intro
duced bill this week, which he hopes
will solve the problem of preserving
the grass on the public domain and to
all land-holding stock raisers the priv
| ilege they have been seeking. True
! his bill is a. leasing BILL and this may
win for it the odium of those who
| long ago formed the opinion of all
| leasing bills, and who refuse to be con-
verted. Tn this case, however, it Is the
corporations, instead of the small hold
ers, that Mr.. Lacey proposes to crowd
out. The bill expressly provides that
no corporation shall be given leases on
| the public lands. The preamble Of the
| bill is as follows:
| "'The purpose of the bill is to give the
| homestead settlers and freeholders the
| opportunity in the arid region to I'M
| prove, use and protect the grass upor
| the public domain in the vicinity OF
| their holdings, SO as to prevent the
| further deterioration and the monopo-
lization of the range by owners of large
herds of livestock
.Mr. Lacey stated today that he has
! long been convinced that something
must be done to protect the grass or
the range, and that a leasing law was
the only thing that would do it. In or
der to meet the objections of those whf
| said leasing privilege would only
work to the benefit Of the large corpor'
alton and crowd out the small holder
he has framed the bill expressly In tn
interest of small holders. The corpor
ations with their cattle unjust roam thu
opens as they have done in the pas
or they must hire the 1easers to feet
their cattle for them.
'The main provision Of the bill is a
follows:
"'All lands not capable of irrigation
may be leased for grazing purposes
subject to the right of homestead, min
} eral and other lawful entry laws Tn
leases are to run for five years.
lessee must be landholder. He WI
be allowed to lease not more than 3,2O
acres He may fence the leased LANDS
There will be six classes of land to b
leased at 1, 2, 8. 4, s, and 6 cents pc
acre, according to location and valu
for grazing purposes. The bill puts n
hindrance on grazing on the unoccu
pied public lands. Corporations an
non-landholders can occupy them
I they have done in the past, OF cours
observing the law concerning the eret
ton Of fences
, congressman Lacey is enthusiast
2 over the prospects Of the new bill. an
says it will meet every objection thf
I. has been offered to a leasing 'propos
II ton. 1t was presented to the hou'
: public lands committee and was free
q commented upon though very re
r f1xed opinions were expressed"
. TELEeRAPHIC BREvlTIES.