Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-11

eNNA~N
The reported encroachments Of the cattle
oarons, as they have been styled, on the
government lands Of western Nebraska
deemed necessary by the parties interested
70 set before the public the real facts and
me conditions OF the country, TO which al
fusion has been made. At the outset we
would say that the articles written upon
the subject have all been founded upon an
ssumed state of AFFAIRS which the real
conditions do not support. These articles
nave been based upon the assumption that
the lands Of the west are agricultural in
character. II has also been assumed that
there has been a great demand for these
lands In recent years on the part Of eastern
tsImeIs, VINO Nlsh 10 locate upon them Tor
farming purposes. The articles have also
been based upon the assumption that the
cattlemen have intimidated settlers to keep
them out of this territory. To prove that
these statements above referred to are
erroneous is the purpose of this article.
There has also been severe criticism on
the part OF the eastern press In reference
to bills that have been introduced by west
ern men for the purpose of anording a
OF the west. and these proposed measures
have been termed innocent schemes of the
cattlemen." The object Of these bills was
not TO retard or check in any manner the
workings OF the new irrigation law, or to
withdraw any portion OF the public domain
from settlement by actual bona fde set
there or actual bona ide homesteaders,
nor to promote any land schemes, but was
intended to further the purposes for which
THESE ldnQS are dudpIeQt ana InuS assist
the natural development Of the west.
My Fit for Grazing.
That the lands Of western Nebraska that
are not already irrigated are only fit for
grazing purposes is well known TO the
people who reside here or who know the
character of these lands and their history
since the time that there has been any
attempt made to settle them and bring
them under cultivation. The history of
Box Butte county, which is located in the
central part of western Nebraska. fairly
illustrates how these lands have been set
tied and time has demonstrated that they
are not adapted to agriculture. We refer
to this county as a fair illustration, as it's
soil Is better adapted for farming, as a
counties in the western part OF the state.
In 1884, 1886 and 1886 the farmers from
eastern Nebraska and Iowa, and as far east
county. and at the outset were entranced
with the appearance OF the soil, which they
believed only needed cultivation to induce
rainfall, which would eventually make II
as productive as eastern Nebraska. These
lands were pre-empted, homesteaded and
taken by timber culture entries to that
extent in those years that fully so per cent
OF the lands In the county were occupied
by actual bona hde settlers, who took the
land with the intention of making II their
homes and to engage in general farming.
Later, when these people became disap-
sted loans OF from s2Oo to 500. fully be-
lieving that nature would subsequently
smile upon them with a bountiful harvest
9lu lGA0abO = AlO II IdllIOdu
companies. by their literature, and the
government. by representing these lands
&c. be agricultural, were the inducing causes
They believed they were going to farming
lands, but as the years rolled by disappoint-
ment followed disappointment and the set
finally. In 1884 II Is safe to say that of
the 80 per cent of the lands that were
years referred to, not more than 20 per cent
were occupied, and the people were moving
away.
Not Rain Enough for Crops.
M why was 1T? The principal cause
70 raise crops. and the people saw that
mere wa no nope OF ever haylng these
have remained have found a living could
be had in the raising of live stock. thus
utilizing the. grasses which nature has by
that cultivation by the early settlers ruined
the lands for grazing by destroying the
grasses, leaving a few weeds, and on &C.
blown about by the winds. leaving 1t in
such condition that no benefit could be
derived for several years thereafter. AS
the mortgages matured they were fore
closed and the lands were bid IN by the
loan companies or the mortgages, and in
many instances these lands when sold only
brought the amount of taxes that had
accumulated against them during the time
since mortgaged. Ninety per cent Of these
lands In this county changed owners for a
few hundred dollars and passed to the
hands Of others who attempted to farm
them, and who later by force of circum-
stances became stock growers. These peo-
pie are now thriving to a certain extent
because they have found the purposes for
which these lands are adapted and are
using them for that purpose and have
wholly abandoned the farming idea. II Is
safe to say that this experiment has cost
the people of Box Butte county $1.Gco 600,
which has been thrown away because OF a
miseonception Of the adaptability OF these
lands.
The people who came into western Ne