The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-28
SMALL CAT TIE DIVINE R s
ON FENCING" CHARGE.
THEY ADMIT BREAKING THE LAW
BUT CLAIM EXTENUATION.
Unusual Conditions Under Which Gov
ernment Lands in Nebraska Were
Fenced Are Described and Plea Is
Made for q New Law Permitting Use
Of Lands for Compensation.
70 the Editor Of The Journal.

So much has been written about the
Illegal fencing Of government lands in
Nebraska, that we, small cattle ra1sers
and homesteaders, feel that We, as q
class, have been placed in a false posi-
ton, and We want to correct that i'm
preston.
We are not thieves and murderers,
but instead, are ranchers, cattlemen and
citizens, just like other people Of the
United States. We value our homes, our
families and good names, just as others
do Most Of us came to this country
twenty or thirty years ago, when life
on the plains was filled with hardships.
There were Indians and border s1esper-s
ndoes to contend with; our wives did
without comforts and our children with
out schools, while we, the husbands and
fathers, struggled to live on the 100
acres. of land which the government
gave us.
In 1887 and 1888 almost every valley in
the sand hills was settled-but by 1890,
So per cent Of these settlers had pulled
UP stakes" and moved into other sec
lions curs1ng the short-gr country as
worthless.
The Blizzard Of '92.
We who remained and continued the
struggle strung wire fences around our
own quarter sections Of land and grazed
our little herds on the bare hills and
grassy valleys until 1892, when a series
of great billiards came on us and our
cattle drifted over the face of the entire
country. Many Of us lost every
head Of cattle we possessed. 9th
ers were found as much 100
miles from home and cost us their
full value to recover. Most of US were
practically bankrupt; there was no
money to be borrowed and We had no
whit oh, No1,N Ixr
would lend money on $50 acres Of sand
hills, because right by the side Of our own
little ranches were thousands of acres
Of free lands.
Many more Of the people left the
country then, while others Of our num-
Der started in to rebuild and recoup.
Fencing In the Lands.
And right by the side Of our lands
claimed. We had lost everything by
having our stock drift away from us in
tho. storms; is it any wonder we strung
g. line Of fencing on some of the great
bodies Of land so close to us and so
useless to anyone but to ourselves?
But string those fences we 'did. and
practically every man west of the Tooth
meridian in Nebraska, who owns as
many as ten head Of CATTLE did just
as we did. Practically every one OF
these men, all settlers and citizens, broke
the law, and while we are all either
taking down these fences at present OF
have already taken them down, we are
lawbreakers just the same-but how
many Of you would have done otherwise D.?
We are not railing at the law which was
passed with the object Of preventing
great cattle owners from fencing up
large bodies Of land and preventing the
small settler from securing the advan-
tages Of an open range, for this law
really did just what 1t was intended II
should do. and we believe that not 2
single protest from a small bona fde
cattle owner. settler or homesteader i;
on file in Washington. The law suits
these small people and we do not raj
at It, But the law was passed twenty
years ago and conditions have changed
since then.
Farms Blow Away.
It must be remembered that this shor
grass country is distinctly NOT farm
ing country. Eastern men cannot con
ceive of SO large a section of land which
is worthless as farms, but such Is thu
truth. and one section, $40 acres, will
only Craze thirty head of cattle. A maj
cannot live on the proceeds Of thirt!
head of cattle. The soil is sand, ant
nine-t enths of the grass is bunch grass
Is plowed up the wind, which blows al
day and all night. simply scoops out grea
holes, and nothing whatever can b.
raised thereon. The valleys can b
farmed for only two years before they
too, practically blow away. Corn grow
only three feet high in the valleys 70
these two years, and not at all on the up
lands.
We have been told that 1.-THE govern
ment is going over Nebraska with a fin
tooth comb. The big cattlemen can stan
trial; the little fellows can plead guilt
and take their medicine.'' =
Should Be New Law.
Practically all the government land /
Nebraska is, or has been fenced, and al
most all this has been done by the sma
cattlemen.
But there should be law which wi
permit the leasing and fencing of all thi
wild land of the government. The stat
Of Nebraska owns certain school land
which are mixed In with the governmer
lands. The state secured a yearly reve
nue. from its lands; the government Sc
cures absolutely nothing from its ow
lands adjoining those Of the state.
It Is not desired to lease these lane
away from the bona fide settlers, b,
these details should be left to the Ian
department. The small cattle owners be
lieve the lands should be classified, E
suggested oy President Roosevelt in h
message to congress, and rent fixed az
cording to this classification. But thes
lands should be leased only to actu
homesteaders and settlers, and not
foreign corporations, which have no hon
interests in that section 7'
Reseed the Ranges.
The revenues derived from these LEASE
should be applied to the work Of reseet
ing the ranges. The department of agr
culture has spent considerable none
searching for a grass which will grow
-se simarid regions. This grass has bee
round, and we believe the money derive
from the land should be placed back
the land in the shape of grass seed, tn,
Increasing the value of the land al
therefore. increasing the rental to II
government in proportion.\
What we are asking is not too niue
there is nothing intricate about remit,
the land to the small settlers and the go
eminent will be in charge Of the deta
= at al times.
There are always two sides to eve
question; you have heard only that 81
whichsis against us.
One of the signers of this commune
ton came to the sand hills in 1870; a
other in 1884. and the other in 49,
Surely we have been here long enough
know conditions. And we are all thr