Omaha daily bee., 1906-01-02
aua LETTER BOX.
On the CattIemap.. SID.

OMAHA Dec SOTO the Editor of The
Bee: read the interview with c. T.. Stew
art OF Cody, Mob, on the land fencing
proposition as printed in your paper Fri
day and as cattleman ! want to thank
The Bee for allowing this side of the oues-
ton TO be so fairly and fully stated thro1tsh
It's columns. I speak in behalf OF every
cattleman In the western part of the state.
l think, when I say that the statements az
presented in that interview are correct and
AFFORD a public exposition of our side of
the case, which has hitherto been unavsiI
able We realize that The Bee has its
own Views on this question and we are
willing to concede to The Bee its way of
thinking, but nevertheless We insist there
are two sides to the question and we he
lieve The Bee will concede to us our right
OF opinion. This II has indicated by allow
Ing Mr.. Stewart, with whom l am well
acquainted. TO state our case.
1t Is not my desire to impose on your
Kindness by taking up much OF EUR valu-
able space, but l want TO ask the privi-
lese or merely saying a few words
want to preface my remarks by this as
sertion: Let 1t be understood at the outset
that the cattlemen of Nebraska mean to
De law abiding set of men and did not
think they were violating the law in fem
eng this land FOR the reason that years
OF practice has made this a common law
or the west, They also want 10 build IN
Nebraska and Nebraska interests and not
tear them down. They believe they hav.
done a great deal toward the upbuilding of
Nebraska's interests; have been the means
OF establishing in the metropolis OF this
state packing industry which makss
ha
the year second greatest packing center I'm
the world. This industry is no dearar 70
Omaha than 10 the rangers of the western
end Of the state through whose efforts
largely, 1t was made possible PeopIe NAV
say others would have seized our onpor-
tunity and built up the same industry
Perhaps SO. And people may say the cat
temen have grown rich themselves while
building up Omaha and Nebraska. some
have, that Is true; others have not But
even II all had that would not destroy the
force OF the fact that in building I'D public
ana private fortunes these cattlemen have
suffered privation and hardship and have
risked life and fortune such as time has
proven others were not willing to risk
When this state began to settle I'D WHY
oidnt immigrants go on this land which
oattlemen have fenced? Why didn't thsv
take their families and make those places
their homes? Now to these questions there
is just one answer as everyone familiar
win the facts knows, and that is this:
Those immigrants knew the land wasn't Ar
for homesteads, that they couldn't live on
II, that In some instances they couldn't
set water within twenty miles distance
Therefore they passed by this land and
went FURTHER west What was the result?
Why the cattiemsn took hold OF the land.
faced all these hardships which the i'm
migrants refused to face endured all the
sacrifices and privation OF personal com
fort ana often safety and planted an in
dustry on those bleak and barren plains
which made Nebraska great state and
has done more than can be estimated In
bringing settlers into such portions Of n
as are habitable. And for this do YOU a v
these eattlemen shall be charged ana con-
victed OF crimeg or what crime, helpins m
build up commonwealth by Drawing dim
euities which fainter hearts Stunned. nv
risking what little money they had in q
country 50 barren of vegetable life that
other people looking for western homes re-