, 1907-06-27

day publishes n letter from Mr.. Mar.
ion P. Wheeler of Natrona county and
a reply thereto, as follows:
Casper, Wyo., June "a, 1907.
Editor Tribune,
Cheyenne, Wyo.
Dear Sir:-I notice in your paper OF
the 22nd inst. you say Administration
not deceived by sentiments of packed
convention"
wish to say to YOU that in that
convention there were gathered 600
men and the very large majority or
them were against the system OF leaH
ing the public domain, n with a very
small minority in favor of the policy
of the government in regard to forest
reserves. These men were all honest
in their opinions n convictions; they
did not believe it for the best that
the range he controlled by lease, and
in all cases were admitted that the
lease would be good for the few favored
ones but against the masses OF the
people, and it comes with i'll grace
from you t. call them dishonest, even
by i%nsinuation. Each state delegation
in that body selected its own represen-
tatives on the committees, which gave
you the states vote, and the delegates
ratified the action of the committees
which gave you the peoples vote. 1t
seems to me you ought to see by this
time that the day of the cattle baron
is past and the day of the settler and
the dry farmer is at hand Permit ME
to say that If you continue to do bust
ness under the present lands laws IN
wyoming as long as you have already
done that you will see its population
doubled by settlement, but should you
be SO unfortunate as to be Obliged TO
live under the leasing system proposed
by the government officers, that you
will see the population of this beauti'
full, young state not only remain sta
tionary, but | believe retrograde, as the
lands would all in time get into the
hands of a few and development, so
ciety, schools and settlements become
a thing of the past, and we once more
become the home Of the cattle barons,
who care little or nothing about the
general good of the community or the
upbuilding of the state so long as their
herds get what feed they want. Is 1t
not time that you and your paper com
menced to broaden out and see the
great state which you inhabit, put or
your cramped opinions. grow outside
of your thriving young city and see
that there are other parts of the state
that are not bounded by your vision
as sit in your editorial Office?
Should you not try and induce settlers
to come in and fill up this state with
homes and with people, instead OF try
ing to make the government ellie
that the west wants the lands leased
to a few? These questions demand
Your serious consideration, and know
that when you have carefully thought
them over, you will come out on the
side of the people, and the side Of pro-
gress, of upbuilding of the state, and
instead of being a weight for the rest
of the state to carry, o will be a
booster and a help towards that end.
Respectfully yours,
MARION P. WHEELER.
Letters like the above are always
welcomed at the Tribune office for
we believe that the calm dispassion-
ate discussion of the matter will re-
suit in both sides of the question
brought nearer a solution with great
benefit to the state to follow.
There is one statement you make
Mr.. Wheeler, upon which we can all
agree. That is The day OF the cattle
baron is past n the day OF the settler
and the dry farmer is at hand
The Tribune wants to see the state
built up and populated just as
earnestly as MI. Wheeler does and the
files of our paper will slow that for
years We have enthusiastically boosted
every locality or community or sec
ton that has made any inducement
Or offered any opportunity to the
homeseeker, the farmer, the miner,
the merchant or stockman.
Now, then, Mr.. Wheeler will admit
that the water is all taken up except
opportunities to get water rights I'M
der various irrigation projects.
The into the state gets
only 100 acres ON which to make his