Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-02-15

and that in the meantime lease measures
adapted TO the conditions IN the different
parts of the territory might be enacted a.
a means of giving stockmen at least tenn
porary control of the land, and as a source
of revenue 1t is altogether probable the
committee on public lands Of the two
houses of congress will be guided in their
actions by these repre- sentatives Of the eN-
ecutive department, rather than by the
wishes of the stockmen directly interested
Give HomesteRders First Chance.
This commission believes large parts. at
least, of these lands can be brought under
subsection in time, and does not want the
government to lose absolute title 10 the
same until the homesteaders shall have
had ample opportunity Of trying their for
tunes on the same.
The Willard Bowersock bib fixed a uni
form rate of cents an acre per annum for
leasing the land. while the bills now under
consideration place the minimum price al
y cent an acre. allowing the lessee to bid
higher, should he feel justified. The same
catJleInen who opposed the Millard-Bower-
sock bill. not believing the land TO be
worth cents per acre per year. might ad-
vocate a bill which gave them the oppor-
tunty TO lease at y cent an acre or more.
Under the bill which I have proposed
one-half Of the proceeds remains in the
state and one-eighth is paid into the state
treasury state taxes; the remainder of
the one-half is divided between county and
school districts. OF the ono-falf which is
paid into the reclamation fund for irriga-
ton purposes part At least is likely to
he spent in each state wherein the lands
are leased.
state Has FinaI Control.
Under the proposed leasing enactments
should any one of the several bills become
a Law. no state or any part of any state
will b. bound by the same until its legisla-
ture shan have passed a resolution request
ing that certain defined parts be brought
within the scope OF the law. Therefore
any state may OF may not adopt it. and to
any extent that its legislature believes to
! be expedient
In view OF the foregoing facts would II
not be better for the state at large to join
/ in request to the delegation In congress
! to support what it believes 10 he the most
( meritorious measure looking to the leasing
OF these lands2
! In Cherry county conditions are beoom.
I ing intolerable. Not much more than one
/ third Of the cattle there were in the
county three years ago. Thirty thousa nd
/ were lost TO Us last fan and these will not
/ he replaced while conditions are as at pres
! emit. That means a loss to the entire state
] in taxable property. a loss 20 the territory
! in labor OF employees IN caring FOR the cat.
I tie and putting up hay, which is felt by tn,
! business men in all the towns. The sam,
proportion Will hold true Of all Other
! grazing counties- Freehold land has n,
/ value because the owneTs cannot use tn,
government land. siRft, II j. next thing u
! impossible TO get any good from any OF tn,
land without fences, and the stockmer
I have arrived Al a peint where they prefer
! to Quit the business rather than be undel
indictment for fencing government land
The same condition applies 10 the smalles
stockmen in the county as 10 the owner,
| OF large herds"