The Meeker herald., 1902-02-08

I
The present agricultural settler. who
tills land, raises crops, and keeps domes-
tic soOck, finds under the present system
Of free use OF the public domain that
focl0 and herds are driven upon which
his Domestic animals should feed, and
infltst such injury upon him that he is
freqsently constrained to sacrifice his
properly and seek another location, only
to b again overtaken by the same in
tolelpble conditions. The proposed law
give4 him the preference Of ieasehold
on 4butting public domain, which hs
may!pyotect from the trespassers which
Bowdnjure him. n
The next preference Is given to free-
holders whose pursuits are pastoral. to
pr0tec' themselves In like manner from
n0mads, and secure the range needed
for their stock.
Ls,ns not taken by either Of the fore
going classes Of freeiioldeTs shall .he
subject to lease by stock-growers Who
were in use and occupancy during the
year ending on Jan l, 1901, each to have
leasehold in proportion to bis interest,
10 that none, not even the least can b.
excluded.
The possessors Of leaseholds to stats
lands, in arel limited to six hundred and
forty acres, are given the same rights
- freeholden.
The owners of the vast Mexican and
Spanish grants are excluded from free
hold or other privilege under this law,
by limiting its benedciaries to holders
under the land laws of the United
States, and townsite freeholders are also
properly excluded.
The fixing Of time Of pastoral occu-
pancy at the year ending on Jan. ]. 1901.
IL to exclude combinations of capital
forming for the purpose of getting
leasehold control OF these lands, to the
exclusion of the western rangemen and
stock growers who row occupy them In
common.
To absolutely guard the rights Of MI
against combination by Q few. the leases
are not open to bid. There will be no
auction at which the strong can over.
come the weak. Every man has his
rights defined by the law and none can
take them away.
The leaseh0lder, being compelled to
pay for the land he uses. will protect It's
forage against determination by over
stocking. The vegetable covering will
Increase and will moro and more con-
serve the moisture, increasing the
means Of irrigation. The law proposes
that the. net revenBes Of tho leases shalI
be held by the United States in trust for
the use Of the states where it is derived.
In the storage and distribution of water.
Such use Of the rentals will be the de-
lvotion Of an existing public asset to q
fpublic purpose of supreme Importance
to the arid West. and will render un-
necessary the demand that the tax
payers Of the whole country be burdened
! .s- sc-- that purpose by congressional appro-
priations.
1t is intended that the bill shall pro-
tect the forage Of the public range, get
revenue from its use. defend the rights
of present freeholders. exclude no exist
ing interest, however small, and shall
accelerate settlement and tillage by
conservation of moisture aud the sup
port Of irrigation.
With these ends in view, It is sub.
mitted to congress by order of The
American Cattle Growers Association,
through its Committee on Legislation.
JOHN p. IRISH. Oakland, Cal.
HENRY NJ PORTER. Denver. Colo.
a.. b. RoBRRTsoN, Colorado, Tex.
BARTI,ETT RICHARDS, M
Ellsworth. Nebr.
M. X. PARSONS. Salt Lake, Utah.