The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1906-01-12

y.
range control on the forest reserves and an
that the great bulk of the western stock
men are definitely in favor of government
control of the open range.
Fifth Upon facts presented at many
public meetings held throughout the West
have been received and considered.
Your commission concurs In the opinion
Of the stockmen that some form OF gov.
eminent control Is necessary az ones, put
is opposed to the immediate appiicaIion 9.
any definite plan to all OF the grazing
lands alike, regardless Of local conditions
or actual grazing value. The following
plan is intended to bring about the grad,
ual application to each iocanty q
that locality, whether It may be APP
plicable to any other locality or not.
Your commission recommends that suit
able authority be given to the Presi,
grazing districts or reserves. TO the Sec
Tetary of Agriculture, in whose depart
ment is found the special acquaintance
with range conditions and livestock cues.
wise wise solution Of these problems. authority
should be given to classify and appraise
the grazing value of these lands, to ap-
point such officers as the. care OF eacn
grazing district may require, 70 s c.aig
and appropriate regulations to each graz
ing district. These regulations should pc
ane aBo wth
occupation Of the country by actual set,
tiers and home seekers. All land covered
by any permit so given should continuel
to be subject to entry under reasonable
Mining Laws.
Your commission has not yet found 1t
possible to take up the extremely impor-
tant subject Of the revision o. fhe Il de
serves. From the evidence already sup.
mitted it is obvious that importanl
changes are necessary, both IN me U n,i;eu
States and In Alaska. the . co m 1am1fh
hopes to treat this matter more Al iehstn
in subsequent report.
Rights of Way.
Year after year the question Of rights OF
way across the public lands ana ttereor Of
the Congress in the reports Of the secre-
tarv Of the Interior and the Commissioner
Of the General Land ONCE. The laws on
this subject are Hsb and of way
granted contingent upon the execution OF
work within definite time, but decisions
and practices are now IN force uhoe =
which it has become almost imposshin, POSSIBLE o o9
these rights, granted conditionally IN tne
first place, but still in existence, although
the conditions were not fulfilled.
Rights such as these are very numerous;
They lie dormant until actual development
has begun to take place, either under the
reclamation act or otherwise; then they
appear in enormous NUMBERS 10 tne xeIs
serious hindrance of new enterprises
Your commission Is engaged on a STUDY VI
this subject and Will report nereaite'
upon it.
Attention is called again to the recon-
mendation of your commission in Its pre-
yious report thereto attachedl tnat entr.
of agricultural lands included in forest re
metes and bounds, and special emphasis i
directed to the recommendation, when !
here renewed, that in such cases actua
residence at home on the land pc rigldi;
required and that no communication De al
lowed.
Large and Small Holdings.
Detailed study of the practical operation
of the present land laws. particularly 0
the desert-land act and the commutat;i u ,
their tendency far. too often Is to Drln
about land monopoly rather than to mul
tiply small holdings by actual settlers
The land laws, decisions, ana practice
tier is at a marked disadvantage in com
parison with the shrewd business ma
who aims to acquire large properties
Not infrequently their erect Is TO pu
methods in the acquisition Of land. 1t
apparent, in consequence, that in yer
many localities. and perhaps II genera sd
passing into the hands Of SPECTATORS an
Corporations than into those OF actui
settlers who are making homes.
This IL not due to the character OF th
land. In all parts of the United stats
farre holdings are being acquired tn
genuine homesteader Is prospecting alonl