The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-02-14

grabbing properties appear. Sec
tion is, of course, in the nature of
a preamble, although including the
provision declaring that the govern
ment lands shall be lelsed. Section
2 begins with the following sentence:
"That leases of such lands shall not
be subject to bids. .
When public contracts or public
properties are to be disposed OF Gus
tom DEGREES that all persons interest
ed shall have an opportunity to
know what is to be done, and to be
given the :urther opportunity of
making due and proper proposals
for participation in the contract, or
in the purchase OF the property to
be sold. Privacy permits Of every
individual ACKNOWLEDGEMENT and pub
lie detriment.
Were the principle Of leasing the
government lands a good one, in any
respect, justice to the thousands OF
small cattlemen and Sheepmen of
the western country, to which this
proposed law alone applies, would
demand that they be permitted to
enter into open competition with
other interests seeking to benefit
under this measures.
Under the provisions of this bill
the secretary of the interior is made
the sole arbiter of the disposition OF
the governments lands. No appeal
from his decisions is provided for, no
notice to be given by any person de
string ito lease government lands is
required, no protection is guaran-
teed one person that his prior.appli-
cation will receive favor as against
one filed subsequently.
The government owns upwards OF
600, ,00O,0 900 acres OF semi-arid land
subject to the provisions of this bill.
It is proposed to give to one man
the sole authority to let this i'm
mense tract, or any portion of it, to
any person or corporation which
may apply for leases. There is no
guard whatever against his exhibit
ing favoritism to particular inter-
ests. To say that favoritism will
not be shown would be to rebut the
proofs of all political history.
Assuming that the secretary of
the interior desired to act fairly in
this matter, the moral right OF the
thousands of small ranchmen of the
west could not be protected by him.
The large interests behind this
measure have certainly not pro-
posed it and certainly are
not now seeking its passage with
out having made all necessary pre-
parations for assuring themselves of
secure cor troll of the best ranges.
Excellent reason exists for believ-
ing that these interests are not only
acquainted with the location, by
sections, of the water-fed land Of
the semi-arid regions, but are N a
position ofile immediately upon the
passage of the bill claims for leases
of the best lands. To say that the
! small ranchmen are, or can be equal
lily prepared would be to present a
ridiculous assumption.
4: The very fact that an emergency
4 clause is attached to the measure
Indicates that no time is to be given
the small ranchmen in which to pre-
pare for the changed conditions
which will exist after the passage
4 .Ioithe bill. If justice to the small
ranehmen were intended, a measure
i of such Importance as one: which dis
/ poses for all time of 600 900, 900 acres
tof fland would contain such provision
as would place the time Of the
i changing conditions at a date suffi-
q GENTLY long after the passage Of the
bill to permit Of all interests to pro
tect themselves.
1 The passage of this measure with
| an emergency clause would instanta-
| neously make trespassers Of all Of
! the thousands Of small ranchmen
1 who are now Ranging their cattle