Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1904-09-30
TO EXTEND ITS SCOPE
The Passage of the Kincaid Bill will Ac.
complish Great Things-Do We
Want 1t:


Want 1t:
A recent copy of the Ranch News
has an interesting article concerning
the Kincaid bill, which passed the last
session of congress. 1t applied only to
western Nebraska, and was so accepta-
BILE to that state that it is probable that
it will be extended to adjoining states,
including this portion of South Dako-
measure as follows:
For years there has been q conflict of
opinion between the practical men of
the west AS to the best methods of
bringing the wilderness into touch with
civilization. The pioneers of that
mighty territory which lies west of the
hundredth meridian saw in the very
nature of things that there must come
atime when the land laws of the United
States would have to be changed or
amended to meet new conditions. They
saw that with the settling up of the
humid regions included in that terri
tory that the demands of thousands
who we're not so fortunate as to secure
we'll watered and rich soil would de-
with the changed conditions, and the
far seeing pioneer, who has almost
passed away, is now being followed by
another who, finding the rich lands of
the west wholly occupied by a peaceful
and progressive people engaged upon
the best line of farming, demand that
the land laws of the United States
shall be SO changed that he may
go upon the arid and semi.arid lands
of the west and there, by dairying,
stock raising and grazing, find support
for himself and family.
To meet these new conditions and to
put "a stop to lawlessness and disorder
growing out of the great commons
known as the s'public domain" 10y rich
ranchmen: live stock associations, who,
in the face of law and authority, en-
close vast acres of these public lands
by fence, the so-called Kincaid bill,
applicable only to certain section of
western Nebraska, bordering on the
states of Wyoming Colorado and South
Dakota. was enacted into law.
This law which has probably attract
ed more attention, particularly in the
west, than any law since the first home
stead right was granted, is the first
effort by legislation to provide for con-
ditions where. owing to the limited
rainfall and the character of the soil.
it is impossible to successfully produce
agricultural crops, and where the farm
er must depend upon dairying and the
growing Of live stock to support him
self and family. This bill, which was
fought through congress by men who
knew the west and the condition of the
lands directly affected, gave the author
of the measure, Moses p. Kincaid, &
standing in the acknowledgements which
men far older than Judge kincaid in
service would be mighty proud to pos
sess. Although in every essential {
bill designed to help Nebraska. it wa;
looked upon and watched with The
liveliest interest by the delegation:
coming from Wyoming, Colorado
North and South Dakota and Montana
for they saw vast possibilities for thei
own states, should this experiment 70
western Nebraska prove AS successful
as it is expected.
Is GAO acres of the dry and sandy sol
in western Nebraska sufficient for the
support of family? 1t will be recalled
that Judge kincaid's bill originall.
contemplated giving two sections o
land to intending homesteaders in thu
section affected by the bill. And thi
did not seem out of reason for twenty
five years ago Maj j. w Powell, thel
at the head of the United States geo
logical survey, writing of the arid
region said:
1.-The grass is so scanty that the
herdsman must have a large area fol
the support of his stock. In general {
quarter of a section of land alone is O
no value to him. The pasturage il
affords is entirely inadequate to th'
want of a herd that the poorest MAJ
needs fer his support, Four squar'
miles is considered the minimum
amount necessary fora pasturage farm
and still greater amount is necessar.
for the larger part of the lands Tha
is. pasturage farms, to be of any prac
tical value, must be of at least 2,56
acres, and in many districts they mus
be larger"
So Tar as can be ascertained cond
tions have in no wise changed sine
that time, unless they have grow
harder as the areable lands have bee
taken up by the thousands who ar