The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1906-01-12

Secretary of the Interior.
| ton and "Reminiscences and surveys,
such as has been the history in the
great irrigation works of every other
country, there are to-day in course OF
construction, a dozen huge projects,
and last June, Just three years after
the law was passed, the first project
was completed.
OF Vast Import to Nation.
Secretary Hitchcock's vigorous wsrk
in saving the public domain for home
seekers, and in bringing into prac.4cal
operation policy for the absolute
creation out of desert nothing, Of
thousands and eventually millions Of
prosperous American homes is, in
reality the greatest work of the gener-
alton. The actual benefit of this great
internal development and improvement
of the nations property far surpasses
the work Of any other department OF
the government. *
(7Ae lolowing is The last portion ofthe yetsyf
Of whose suenn6ers are employed nnaer Secretary
Hteheoek, and schose vsesUs on land JrSnds ACCORD
with their eAiefs)
Grazing Lands.
The great bulk of the vacant public
lands throughout the West are unsuitable.
for cultivation under the present known
conditions Of agriculture and 90 located
ton. They. are, and probably always must
It is estimated. more than a6o,oo0,OO0 acres
mateiy equal to ene-fifth the extent q the
can not be set. for with seasonal changes
large areas Of land which afford good
other. There are also vast tracts Of wood
ed or timbered land In which grazing has
much Importance, and until q further
classification Of the public lands is made
ness the total acreage. The extent is 80
vast and the commercial interests In
volved so great as to demand In the high
est degree the wise and conservative han
ding Of these vast resources.
1t Is a matter of the first importance to
know whether these grazing lands are be-
ing used In the best way possible for the
whether they are being abused under. q
system which Is detrimental to such de-
velopment and by which the only present
value Of the land is being rapidly de-
At present the vacant public lands are
theoretically open commons, free to all
citizens; but as. mater OF fact large
proportion have been parceled out by more
or less definite compacts or agreements
among the various interests. These tacit
agreements are continually being violated.
The sheePmen and cattlemen are In FREE
each others domain. Land which fsr
years has been regarded as exclusively
large bands Of sheep, forced BY drought
quentiy follow, after which new ADJUST
ments are made and matters quiet down
for time. There are localities where
the people are utilizing to their own salts
Is to be let alone, 50 that they may parcel
out among themselves the use OF the
lands; but an agreement made to-day may
be broken tomorrow by changing condi-
lions Of shifting interests
The general lack Of control In the use Of
public grazing lands has resulted, natu-
rally and inevitably. in overgrazing and
valuable. grazing territory. Lands useful
for grazing are losing their only capacity
for productiveness. as, Of course. they
must when no legal control is exercised
Of many Of the open ranges. Lands app
denuded Of vegetation have i'm
proved In condition and productiveness
upon coming odr under any system q control
agement to the land. On some large
tracts the valuable forage plants have
been utterly extirpated, and It is imprac-
ticable even to reseed them. On other
tracts It will be possible by careful man
agement for the remaining native plants
to recover their vigor and to distribute
seeds, which will eventually restore much
If the former heritage. Prompt and effect
We action must be taken, however. II the
value of very much Of the remaining pub
lie domain is not to be totally lost.
The conclusions as to grazing reached
BY your commission were based:
First. Upon the results OF long acQuain-
and States on the part Of each member
If your commission. g 11 M
Second. Upon the results Of careful e.