The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-07-26
MONTANA MEN ARE RIGHT.

MONTANA MEN ARE RIGHT.
When the commissioner of the gem
eral land Office, the representatives
Of the two houses of congress, the
chief forester and the chief of the
geological survey gather at Denver
next month to meet the National Live
stock association to talk over the
matter of leasing public land for graz
ing purposes they will learn in an
unmistakable manner that not all the
stockmen are in favor of the system.
Because of it's name, the organiza-
tion which maintains it's headquarters
at Denver assume to speak for all the
owners of livestock in the country
whenever any matter arises in which
they are interested, sometimes wholly
disregardant of opposing views held
by the stockgrowers of important re-
gions. Notably may this be said to
be the case when it comes to the ques-
ton of leasing the public domain.
Repeatedly the officers of the associa-
ton, particularly the secretary, have
endeavOred to commit the stockmen
of Montana to the policy advocated
by it, having annually for years past
sent delegates to the meeting of the
Montana association to work for the
adoption of resolutions urging con-
gress to pass a law in accord with it's
views on the subject. Each time the
attempt has proved a failure, although
on one OF two notable cases it was
almost successful. One such instance
in particular is recalled, when, had it
not been for the supreme efforts OF
the late Judge Strevell of Miles City,
such resolutions would have prevail
ed. In a fiery speech in which he
appealed to the stockmen of the state
not to disregard what they knew to
be right and just, he pointed out the
great wrong the national association
would work upon the poor man, the
owner of a few head of cattle or sheep,
whom he declared to be entitled to
share in the bounty and generosity OF
nature, which had clothed the broad
acres with grass so that all might
be benefited by it who would avail
themselves of the privilege. The
speech o the day for the men op.
posed to leasing, for the resolution
was defeated by an exceedingly mar.
row margin. At subsequent meetings
the fight vas renewed, but impressed
with the righteousness of the cause
represented by the judge, now gone
to his reward, enough men were found
each time to vote down the men who
had been touched in their sellshness
BY the arguments of the Denver con
tingent.
Hearing of the Helena meeting last
week, the Denver contingent tried
once more, possibly thinking that be-
Y Of the limited number who
would be in attendance it might sue.
coed in obtaining the endorsement so
long sought, but once more it failed.
n rightly so. While a few are known
TO be favorable to the leasing scheme,
the majority of the herdsmen and
dockmasters of Montana are opposed
to 1t. They are content to permit
the existing policy of a free range to
all to remain undisturbed, being will
4~%8HHH8 HNtHsEN| r ~
ing to grant all an equal opportunity
to share in the b%eneicence of nature.
But aside from the manifest injustice
Of the policy to which the national as
sociation has committed itself, the
men OF this state show how utterly
impracticable it is when applied to
the changed and constantly changing
conditions following a continued set
element az the areas once given over
- their entirety to the grazer Were
they to disregard sentiment absolute
y, they would stun md it folly to
ask for = change, - it would canse