The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1905-05-17
WEDNESDAY, MAY II, 1905.
THE GRAZING LAND PROBLEM.

O0e VI Tue uOSt IuteCeSIluk speeches
delivered at the recent meeting Of
stockmen at Denver was that of John
P. Irish, of California, who discussed
the subject Of grazing lands, and who
submitted that a plan of leasing by
the federal government is the only sat.
isfactory solution of the problem.
This matter of leasing portions Of
the public domain that are suitable
only for grazing purposes has been
under discussion for the past twenty
years, and objection has been made TO
it by those who believe the adoption
of such a policy would retard settle.
ment in states where livestock is
ranged On government lands. 1t is
becoming apparent, however, that a
system of leasing under which the
lands would remain open to home
stead entry by settlers-a system SINH.
lar to that of the Canadian authori-
ties-is preferable to that under which
the open range may be OverstOcked,
denuded of vegetation, and rendered
worthless.
The grazing land problem aud its
solution, as seen by the California
stOckman who addressed the Denver
conventions, is as follows:
Neither repeal Q amendment of
the land laws, o the extension Of ir-
rigation by the federal government,
will solve the problem of the grazing
lands. After all irrigable u tillable
land is occupied there will remain
about 400, OOO, 600 acres Of public do
main, mostly fit for livestock ranges
and for nothing else. 1t is a valuable
asset, with potential wealth. What is
to be done with it? The government
has not yet answered that question,
and the livestock interests have not
agreed upon what the answer should
be. That domain is now occupied in
common. 1t is Overstocked. and as a
result its forage is being destroyed
and Its stock carrying capacity is dis.
appearing. When the soil is barred by
destruction Of the forage plants and
their permanent eradication IL effected,
erosion and baking in the sun bring
about desert conditions, under which
~reseeding and renewal of pasture is
difficult. We all know of the vice,
crime and loss of life and property
that 60 with the increasing strife for
what pasture is left. The range Is
without law, and its occupancy has
no protection, except the Winchester.
"Such a condition amounts to a
national scandal, and a wanton de.
struction OF a property value which it
should be the business OF the govern.
ment to preserve. The facts are all
known and are on record in the re.
port OF the land committee OF the
house OF representatives of an inves.
tigation which l procured. II the
range industry is to survive, these
grazing lands must be classified and
their occupancy legalized by a lease
hold.
"The government Is spending mil.
lions to provide irrigation for land to
which settlers are invited. We all
know that the profits Of irrigation in
all of this intermountain region are
found by raising winter feed for live.
stock hat has summer range. The
summer range is mainly on the graz.
ing lands Of the public domain that
have no other apparent use. AS the
forage disappears, the livestock dis.
appears also, and when the whole
summer range Is destroyed, as every
acre will be by the present methods,
there will be no stock to consume the
winter feed raised on the irrigated
lands. 1t will be observed, therefore,
that the irrigation and range leasing
policies are united. The success of
one depends upon the adoption of the
other.
During the discussion OF this sub
ject the livestock men of the west have
been subjected to much criticism and
abuse and unjust suspicion, all un.
deserved. They were the pioneers of
this vast region, and If the industry
they founded, upon which all others
have infringed, in its struggle for ex-
~istence, have shown some desperation.
the fault is with that inertia in the
government w~hichuhas refused to see
that lands are classifiable. as forest,
agricultural, mineral and grazing,
each with its individual and
capacity. If agriculture had been
made the victim Of the hurts and hin.
ORANGES that have SO sorely smitten
the livestock industry, its struggle for
existence would have been more vic.
lent than ours.'
GREAT FALLS, May l3.-"Profes-
sor" Hofgard, alias Lacounte. q piano