The Caldwell tribune., 1905-11-25
UnsaVOry Business.


the Caldpell TRIBUNE, recently
printed some facts and some things
that were not facts. Speaking of
the leasing of II4,ooo acres of
land in Fremont county, he said:
-Four big sheepmen. by va
rlous devices, more or less unsa-
worry, secured the entire tract, and
then proceeded to shut out the
small tiockmasters by compelling
them to remove their sheep or pay
IS cents an acre. "
THAT statement is true, but
further along in the same article he
said: i
1t is now learned that the big
sheepmen violated an express
agreement, had with the state land
board. to the effect that the lands
were tc be fairly prorated among
big and little sheepmen who had
been accustomed to range their
tlocks on that land; that none
should be shut out, and that the
price should be uniform
The latter statement is not true.
1t hasn't vestige Of truth in it,
and is only lame apology for
rotten deal. When the leases were
made out, the men with horses and
cattle living near by were to be al
! lowed use Of this sheep range free.
The leases so stated. There are
but few horses and cattle there,
and of course they could not Craze
in sheep pasture, anyway; but
there were several thousand head
of sheep there not owned by the
big four If the plain intent was
not to cut them out, why were they
not mentioned in the leases, along
with the few hundred head of cat
tie and horses? They were of far
more Importance, as the governor
has since discovered.
1--WE anxiously await an expla-
nation or correction from Col mel
Davis, as we cannot for moment
believe he would allow his readers
to be deceived by his former state
ment. If he will read the COVER
nor's first interview on the subject
he will find the governor nowhere
even hints at any such agreement
as THE TRIBUNE editor suggests. "
With pleasure, we reproduce the
foregoing from the scintillating
columns of Boise's most pO.ent and
illuminating journal, the Capital
Evening News. At the very be-
ginning, we hasten to congratulate
the editor on the marked improve
ment in his literary style, because
it bespeaks moral regeneration.
Controversy with one whose ad-
dress has become so chaste and
cordial is as pleasant as it is edlty-
ing. We trust he will be able to
permanently maintain this elegant
bearing, as it is most becoming to
a great moulder Of public opinion.
1t is pleasant to reflect that we
have been, in some measure, in
strumental in bringing the Editor
of the News to a realizing sense OF
the grace and dignity beftting his
station and ability.
The News indicates, that it is
anxiously awaiting an explanation
from us. We hurry to relieve the
suspense. In the controversy over
the Fremont county land leases,
we were driven to accept either the
CAPITAL Evening News version or
Governor Gooding's version. We
n,,t our trust in the Governor, be-
cause, until the present moment,
there was much in the character
and history OF the News to dis
courage faith in either its accuracy
or its integrity. Therefore, II we
went wrong, we are amply just
flied in charging the error to the
mast life of the News. The one
thing that shook our faith In the
Governor, and inclined us to sus-
pect that by some curious accident
the News had stumbled on a TRUTH
was the Statesman's charge to the