New-York tribune., 1907-10-02
Sixth Avenue Eighteenth to Nineteenth Street, New York
formerly occupied By B. Altman 6 Co.

nocks of sheep may we'll find IT to his profit to
drive them over the small sheep farmers range
and cat IL all out He can then drive his fiocks
on whereas the small man cannot. or course,
TO permit such state OF things is not only eVil
for the small man, hut is destructive or the pest
interests of the country. Suostantaily % Ihe
same conditions obtain as regards cattle. me
custom has therefore grown up OF fencihg greS.
tracts OF government land without warrant OIL
law The men who fenced this land were some
times rich men. who, by fencing A. Kept OUT
actual settlers and thereby worked evil TO the
country; but in many cases, whether they were
large men or small men. their object was not 10
keep out actual settlers but TO protect them-
selves and their own industry by preventing
overgraZiug of the range on the part OF rech-
less stock owners who had no place in the per
manent development OF the country and who
Indifferent to everything except the prohts
OF the moment To permit the continuance or
this illegal fencing inevitably tended to very
grave abuses, and the government has therefore
forced the fencers TO take down their fences'
In doing this we have not only obeyed and en-
forced tho law. but we have corrected many
fragrant abuses. Nevertheless. we have also
caused hardship which. though unavoidable l
was exceedingly unwilling TO cause.
FENCING CONDITIONS CHANGED.
In some way or other we must provide for
the use OF the public range under conditions
which shall inure primarily to the benefit of the
actual settlers near IL. and which snail
prevent It's being wasted. This means that In
shape way the tcnClnS or pasture lduu
must he permitted under restrictions which viii
safeguard the rights OF the actual settlers. l
desire to act as these actual settlers wish 10
have me In this matter. l wish TO find out their
needs and desires and then to try to put them
into effect But they must take trouble. must
look ahead to their own ultimate and real
good. must Insist upon being really represented
by their public men, II we are to have good
result. a little while ago l received very
manly and sensible letter from one of the prom
inent members of the Laramie County (WyO)
Cattle and Horse Growers Association. My
correspondent remarked incidentally in his let
ter Il a small ranchman and have to
plough and pitch hay myself and then went
10 say that the great majority of their peo-
pie had compiled with the governmental order.
had removed their fences and sold their cattle.
but that they must get some kind or a lease
law which would permit them to Craze their
stock under proper conditions or else II would
be rlliIous TO them to continue In the business.
The thing I have most at heart regards this
subject IS To do whatever Will be OF permanent
benefit TO just exactly the people for whom this
correspondent of mine spoke-the small ranch
men who have to plough and pitch hay them
selves All I want TO do Is 20 find out what
will be 10 their real benefit. for that is certain
to he to the benefit of the country whole.
1t may be that we can secure their interests best
by permitting all homesteaders In the dry coun-
try to lose. individually or a certain number
of them together. big tracts of range for
mer use, the tracts being proportfoned to the
number of ncighbornE homosteaders who wish
to run their cattle upon it. II may he that
parts Of the range will be valuable only for
companies that can Lease IL and put large herds
upon it, for the way properly to develop a
region is to put II to those uses TO which 1t is
best adapted. The amount to be paid for the
leasing privilege is TO me matter or COM
paratye Indifference. The government does not
wish TO make money out Of the range but sim
ply 10 provide for the necessary supervision that
will prevent its being eaten out exhausted
that is that will secure il unchanged as an as
set for the next generation for the children Of
the present home makers OF course. we must
also provide enough TO pay the proper share OF
the county taxes. | am not welded 10 any one
plan, and ] am willing to combine several mans
if necessary, But the present system is wrong.
and hope to In all the states of the great
plains and the Rockies the men like my corre-
spondent or the Laramie County Cattle and
Horse Growers Association. the small ranch
men who plough and pitch hay themselves"
seriously take up this matter and make their
representatives in Congress understand that
there must be some solution, and that this so
luton shall be one which will secure the great
est permanent wellbeing to the actual settlers
the actual home makers. / promise with all the
strength I have to cooperate toward this end
CANE GIVEN BY NEGROES.
Considerable rain fell during the speech. but
the President did not stop talking. After he had
concluded he received a gold-headed cane
from the negroes OF Keokuk The presenta-
ton speech was made by negro plasterer who
assured the President that the negro popula-
ton of Keokuk had every confidence in his ad-
ministration and in his determination to treat
the black with fairness The incident
seemed to touch the President He grssped the
speakers hand, and held II tightly while he
made reply, saying that he accepted the pres
ent with great pleasure and adding that in
dealing with the black map as In dealing with
the white he followed what he believed to be
the only sane principle. that of treating every
man ccording TO his merits as an individual
regardless of race.
The President then shook hands with the
dozen or more governors present and hurried
to the river side, where he boarded the steamer
Mississippi for the run to st. Louis He is due
at the worlds fair city soon after O'Clock to-
morrow morning. and will remain there five
hours. Then he will again board the boat for