Williams news., 1906-01-20
GRAZING LANDS
Resolutions to Be Presented to
 the Denver Convention

tention being devoted entirely to routine matters. As mentioned in | yesterday mornings Republican the board the day before passed resolutions setting forth its ideas concerning the question of the leas- ing of the public lands for grazing purposes, as it had been invited to do, and which resolutions will be given to the delegates of the Ari- zona Cattle Growers association, to the Denver convention, where they will be laid before MT. Clifford Pinchot, chief of the bureau of for estry. Eliminating the preamble and transmitting sections, the reso- lutions are herewith reproduced, and are worthy of careful reading by every one interested in Arizona's welfare. Something of the import ance of the subject under consider ton is understood by the fact men, toned in the last paragraph, that it affects approximately 95 per cent of the area of the territory. While an irrigated acre is worth many acres of grazing land, the propor- ton of the latter is so large that altogether its value and ultimate wealth producing resources are per haps of more importance, or will be some day, than the aggregate of the area possible to be irrigated.
 The resolutions read:
 Now, therefore, It is hereby re- solved by this board, after careful study of the data, suggestions and recommendations contained in said Bulletin 62, that the views of this board with reference to the manner and effect of such legislation as it might or should apply to conditions and necessities of the stock grazing business in Arizona are as follows, to wit:
 First-We believe that the first duty of such legislation is to pro- tect those who are already engaged in the business of grazing cattle on the public domain; and to encour- age them to improve and increase the productiveness to the lands which are being used for that pur- pose; that is to say, such legislation as will offer an opportunity and in centive for the stockmen to develop water on the lands on which his cattle graze, and to plant such seeds and plants as will grow on such lands, and to refrain from over grazing such lands to the destruc- ton of vegetation thereon.
 Second-We are opposed to an expensive system of supervision and surveillance which would require considerable number of local in spectors or supervisors to ride over the range and see that the regula- tions were enforced governing the issuance of grazing permits or leases. We think that any ade- quate supervision of regulations details such as are outlined in Bull letin 62 would cost in Arizona from $6O,0OO to $7O,0OO per annum for salaries and expenses of men em- ployed to see that the conditions of each grazing permit or lease were properly observed, and that the live stock so permitted to graze on respective ranges were kept within the respective areas and numbers permitted; and that the fees or ren- tals were collected. The stock graz ing industry of this territory can not at the present time, in addition to the present heavy burdens of taxation, afford such an additional burden.
 Third-We believe that an op- portunity should be given for each cattle owner to lease an area of the public land such as might serve for a reserve pasturage for his live stock, and the opportunity and privilege afforded to him, to make Improvements thereon by enclosing same under fence, developing water