, 1903-07-16
the GRAZING QUESTION.
Governor chatterton Favors the Leasing
Lands and the Cutting Down Of Forest
Reserves.


Hon. E. A. Slack, Cheyenne.
Dear Sir: In response to your
request for Il statement of my
ideas regarding the Forest Reserve
and the general range question,
| will say that after having trav-
ersed most of the state, within the
past year, and talked to many peo-
pie of varied pursuits. stock rails
ing, ranching, banking, merchan-
dising and mining, | believe that
n large majority favor something
along the following lines:
Forest reserves mot game pre-.
serves) confined to the area of the
forest itself, under the reasonable
supervision of men having practi-
cal knowledge of the proper meth
ODDS for the preservation of the
timber and the conditions exist
ing in our live stock industry with
regard to grazing in the parks and
the open on the mountains above
timber line. Each of these things
car and ought to be managed
without detriment to the interests
of either.
"The right to Craze on the foot
hills and in the parks of the
mountains in the spring and sum-
mel is absolutely necessary for
the preservation Of the stock in
dustry, because those portions CT
the state denominated as desert
the plains-can only be utilized
in the winter, when the stock use
snow for water, and the
range-the mountain parks and
foot hills-cannot be used in the
winter because of the deep snow;
it is, therefore, easily understood
that the winter range-the desert
is absolutely worthless without
the summer range and the summer
range is worthless without the
winter range; both are a neces-
sity, both have their indispensable
Uses 10 the stockmen.
"Great care should be exercised
in the selection of supervisors and
rangers; they ought to be citizens
of the state and men of known
honesty and energy of action.
Regarding the general range
question. which is nnder constant
agitation in some sections, and
which is a question of vital i'm
portance in most sections, l would
say that, owing to the Typography
and elevation of the state, a very
large proportion of its lands can
never become subject to the pres
eht land laws and must, therefore,
remain pasture ground. The ar-
bitrary, and without any legal
authority therefor, drawing of
dead lines by parties in inter
est is a constant source of trouble
and injustice and n continu al
menace to the peace communities
where it prevails.
"The only practical solution of
this question that | have been
able to satisfy myself was just,
equitable and for the best inter
ests of the greatest number in the
present and for future generations
is the leasing of the public do
main.
1.-The state, through a board of
competent men, should have
control of the leasing. The board
should be selected, not because of
party utilization, for this is a bust
ness proposition, but because of
their integrity, business qualiica-
tons and knowledge of conditions
and the NEAR of attaining the
object in view.
1.-The lands should be appor-
toned on some equitable basis ac-
cording to the realty holdings of
actual settlers, and, after they are
provided for, to actual resident
stock owners. The number of
head of live stock allowed 10 be
grazed should be limited accord
ing 10 the pasturage quality of TIE
land, SO that over stocking would
not prevail as now, and the future
thereby be provided for. The
rental should be nominal, say one