Amador ledger., 1906-01-12

Secretary of the Interior.
tion and reconnaissances 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 werk
in saving the public domain for home
seekers, and in bringing into prac--cal
operation a policy for the absolute
creation out of a 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.
(7He Jollosuing is the last Sortton of the re5oyt
ofthe Presidents Public Lands Comssfssfe1, kwo
whose member, are employed Ender Secretary
AIehSoek, and rhose sses0s on Aarsd fTGEas accord
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 so located
ton. They are, and probably always must
it is estimated more than s0O.OOO.OOo acres
mately equal to one-fifth the extent of the
United States proper. The exact limits
can not be set. for with seasonal changes
In 81 oh, ofF "A
grazing one year are almost desert In an
other. There are also vast tracts of wood
ed or timbered land in which grazing has
classification of the public lands is made
it will be impossible to give with exact
ness the total acreage. The extent Is so
volved SO great as to demand in the high
est degree the wise and conservative ham
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
continued development Of the country or
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
or less definite compacts ,or agreements
among the various interests. These tacit
agreements are continually being violated.
The sheepmen and cattlemen are in fire.
quent collision because of incursionS upon
each others domain. Land which for
years has been regarded as exclusively
large. bands of sheep, forced by drought
to migrate. Violence and homicide fire.
quently follow, after which new adjust
mentS are made and matters quiet down
for a time. There are localities where
the people are utilizing to their own satis-
faction the open range, and their demand
m ma r
out among themselves the use of the
lands; but an agreement made to-day may
be broken tomorrow by changing condi-
tionS of shifting interests.
The general lack of control in the use of
public grazing lands has resulted, natu-
rally and inevitably, in overgrazing and
the ruin of millions of acres of otherwise
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 ap-
parently denuded of vegetation have i'm
proved in condition and produetiveness
which AFFORDS a means of preventing over
stocking and of applying intelligent man.
agement to the land. On some large
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
of the former herbage. Prompt and effect
i've action must be taken, however. if 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-
tance with grazing problems in the public
land States on the part Of each member
OF your commission.
Second. Upon the results Of careful ex-