Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-14
Nebraska Delegation Finally Agrees Upon
Measure Efecting Grazing Land.
IS PREPARED IN INTERIOR DEPARTMENT
Representative MondeIl Opposes Free
Coal Bill. Asserting it VIII
InJure the Industry In
WyOminE.
lFrom a SAD CorrespondentO

friction between the government and cattle
growers of Nebraska, today submitted a
draft Of bill to his colleagues o: the Ne
braska delegation, which met with general
approval
The bill which the senior senator pre-
sented TO the conference, he stated.
was largely prepared by Assistant
Attorney General Vandevanter of the
Interior department and in some
particulars followed the Lacey land leas-
ing bill introduced at the last session.
Senator Dietrich explained several sec
tions of the bill and urged upon the dele
cation united action. In view OF the i'm
portance of the measure to Nebraska It
was agreed that the bill should be sent TO
the president of the senate and speaker of
the house of representatives OF the Me-
braska legislature, members of the Ne
braska delegation in congress calling upon
these gentlement to present the bill to their
bodies and that in event of these bodies
agreeing to the measure that they me-
morialize congress to pass the measure 1t
was the consensus OF opinion among those
In attendance at the conference that the
bill was the best that would meet the ap-
proyal of the secretary OF the interior and
in view of this condition concerted action
was urged.
Congressman Stark desired to insert into
the bill clause empowering the president
to make proclamation of land to be set
aside for grazing purposes. but when he
found that the bill was wholly designed
for Nebraska he withdrew his motion and
stated that as the bill safeguarded the
rights Of homesteaders he would give the
bill his support.
Congressman Shallenberger, who has in
81 k,4
a tract to lease to any one holder, as had
been contemplated in former measures.
presented to congress, expressed himself
as satisfied with the section limiting the
maximum of acres to be leased to any one
person 10 twenty sections and he Joined
Stark in seconding the motion to refer the
bill to the legislature of Nebraska.
After the conference, which was most
harmonious the Nebraska delegation has
held in a long time and which was attended
by every member of the Nebraska delega-
tion now in Washington, Senator Dietrich
introduced the bill in the senate.
Lease Twenty Sections. 1.
The text of the bill follows:
That the secretary of the interior is auth
stock sraEina pSirpeses, for e 1saeh aayance
annual rental, upon terms. with such
SulclOnst not exceeding twenty sections
In any single lease and for such time not
exceeding a period of ten years as to him
shall seem reasonable, such of the public
! lands within the state of Nebraska as are
| in their natural condition valuable only
/ for live stock grazing purposes and are not
capable Of irrigation.
Not more than one lease shall be, di-
| rectly or indirectly, made TO or held by the
same person, and no lease shall be trans
/ retary of the interior. As far as possible
\ bona fide settlers and owners of private
lands shall have preference In leasing the
/ adjoining lands and where two or more
such homestead settlers or private own
ers are desirous Jf leasing the same ad-
equitably apportioned among them
SO long as any lessee fully complies
with the terms of his. lease, but not be-
yond the term for which the lease is given,
! he may enclose the land embraced In his
/ lease and shall be entitled TO the exclusive
use thereof for live stock grazing pur-
poses, but the lands embraced in any lease
| shall continue TO he subject to settlement
! and acquisition by qualified persons who,
! in good faith, go upon such lands for the
| purpose of making actual settlement and
maintaining actual residence thereupon, as
! is required by sections 22s9, 229O. '2291, 23O4
and 2307 of the revised statutes of the
Every lessee and transferee of any lease
| shall, as a condition precedent TO obtain
| ing or holding such lease or transfer, be
| required to agree in writing that he will
| not during the continuance of the lease in
| any manner. directly or indirectly, violate
| any of the provisions of the act OF con-
| gress entitled AN act to prevent unlawful
| occupancy Of the lands" approved Feb
The rentals of lands leased hereunder,
| after deducting the expense OF administer
| ing this act, shall' be annually disposed Of
under the direction of the secretary Of the
! interior as follows:
| One-fourth shall be paid TO the state Of
| Nebraska; one-fOurth shall be paid TO the
| county in which the leased land lies, and
one-half shall be credited in the treasury
| OF the United States to the reclamation
| fund established under an act OF congress
| entitled IAN act appropriating the receipts
| from the sale and disposal of public lands
! in certain states and territories to the con-
! struction of irrigation works for the re-
clamation of arid lands approved June
The purpose Of this act is to provide for
| the economic use OF public lands In the
| state of Nebraska which are adapted only
| to grazing purposes 70 encourage the I'M
proyement. use and protection Of the grass
therein and TO determine by actuai' ex-
| pertinent and observation whether sys-
tenn of leasing public lands OF this charac-
| ter may be justly and advantageously in
| augurated and maintained
Richards Not Suited.
Bartlett Richards, who has been in Cali
fornia for the past fortnight, arrived in
Washington today direct from the Pacific
coast and at once began a canvass Of the
situation in regard TO the proposed leasing
bill. When asked tonight how the bill
suited him, Mr.. Richards said: Had the
secretary Of the interior sumbitted the
Dietrich bill to me as a personal PROPOSE
tion. / would have refused to accept IT,
but was sent here by the Nebraska StoeR
Growers association to urge upon congress
the passage Of some leasing measure. This
is the best bill. / believe, we can get. II
is this bill or nothing II is now up tC
the Nebraska legislature TO say whether
It wants this bill or not. II Nebraska wants
il. l want it. notwithstanding its terms
but II the stock growers don't want It
then / will be against IT,"
II is suggested here that the Nebraska
Stock Growers association be at once con
vened and after passing on the measure
send their representatives to Lincoln tC
urge upon the legislature the impOrtanc,
OF memorializing congress to pass the bill
introduced today by Senator Dietrich and
which has the approval Of Secretary Hitch,
cock.
want Fence Law Repealed.
Two hundred small stock growers Of Ne
; braska living al Alliance. Hyannis, Boz
Butte Antioch and other towns in the SAM
hill section OF Nebraska and owning sbou
so 900 head OF cattle ana sheep have sen
a petition to Senator Miliard asking tha
the fence law OF 1855 be repealed and ask
ing the passage Of some act that win dis