, 1906-01-31
CoNTROL OF THE N

1t is a matter of regret to a very
large number of people in the state of
Wyoming hat the sheepmen at the
Casper meeting decided so vigorously
and SO unanimously against govern
ment control and government leasing
of public lands, 1t is inevitable that
some such solution of the veXed prob
lem must come, Open range condi'
lions mean discord, neighborhood
feuds, destruction of property, assassin
alton, poorer range n consequently
less stock. In discussing this matter
the Denver Republican makes the fol
lowing sensible comments:
The attitude of the federal govern
ment is o one Of hostility to the live
stock industry in respect to the use of
forest ranges. Mr.. Pinchot, chief Of
the forest bureau, comes as a friend,
not as an enemy of the sheep men and
the cattle men Of the far west,
Government control of all the pub
lie range is coming without fail. 1t is
inevitable and unavoidable. 1t is de
manded by the evolutionary process
through which the range region is pass
ing. 1t is made necessary by condi-
lions already developed. Tens OF
thousands of acres of barren land,
trampled into dust so fine and so dry
that it is blown into great clouds by
every passing wind, but upon which
once grew rich pasturage for thou
sands of cattle, testify to the need OF
some power to restore the wasted range
by controlling its use. Every stockman
recognizes and appreciates this fact.
1t c%onfronts him every day, and he
knows that restoration of the range
n lie in continuing the conditions
under which these results were each
ed A new factor must be introduced,
n beyond question it is government
control.
Government control of forest ranges
is an object lesson as Well as a public
benefit within itself. What is lone
there will ultimately be lone on all
public ranges. The collection of a fee
for tba nsa of tho ranua hnssa "a me
number of animals permitted to Craze
is relatively but a trivial part of the
governments purpose. The charge
thus imposed is not more han about
a third what stockmen have to pay for
the privilege of running their cattle on
private land or Indian reservations, and
it falls far below the resulting benefit
to the owners of herds. But after all
it is not the main consideration. The
chief aim and purpose is So to guard
the range within forest reservations
thai where wasted or destroyed it will
be restored, thus greatly increasing the
capacity of those reserves to provide
~pasturage for cattle and sheep.
IN MS message TO congress last De
cember, President Roosevelt recon-
mended government control of all pub
lie ranges, and in that connection he
estimated that through the enforce
rment of proper regulations the capacity
of the ranges to maintain live stock
would be made double what 1t is today. |
'O'NN NhS "A'bNASAA vi liz
policy suggested would mean doubling
the power of the far west to supply the
markets of the world with cattle and
sheep and wool.
This is the message of hope the
promise of good, which Mr.. Pinchot
brings from Washington and his con.
ferences with President Roosevelt to
the stock growers of the west who
have assembled in the conventions in
session here this week.
Clearly it is to the interest of the
stock growers to fall into line, in order
that they may so direct the movement
that it will harmonic in every way
with their interests. They should not
hrow themselves across its path, for,
whatever else may be said, the adop-
ton of the policy of government con
troll is inevitable, Defeat lies in wait
for those who oppose it, with resultant
injury to live stock interests in all the
far west. In return for the small fee
charged, the stock growers will get the
privilege of grazing, the right to fence
under proper conditions, enforcement
of state laws against stealing. and,
above all, ultimate restoration of the
wasted and depleted ranges, so that
the carrying capacity of the range
region will be made double what it is
today"