, 1907-06-27

q ne S'NN' - S
be able TO do it. We hope SO, but
even in Wheatland, the farmers run a
few head of cattle and at Salem
Pine Bluffs cattle are almost indis-
pensable. although the greatest dem
%onstration OF dry farming has been
made there.
Isn't II rather hard lines to expect
a settler to come in, and If he wan
to run a little stock to help out, to
make him take his chances with big
ger stockmen whose sheep and cat
tie are overcrowding the free rang
to say nothing of the piratical bands
that are herded up to his very doors?
| We believe tina the newcomer will do
much better, If in addition to his lit
tie decided farm he is given the right
to the exclusive use of some grazing
land hat is fit for nothing else.
Here in Laramie county, the cattle
barons have gone for good. In their
place are hundreds of little r%anchers,
raising a few cars of cattle each year.
They have taken advantage of the lax
lily of the land laws II have fenced
illegally, ii is true, various amounts OF
grazing land. They have put this lane
to the best possible advantage and by
careful management have grown
more grass and better cattle. To an
/ extent this same condition applies N
Natrona county. With the ordering
down of the Illegal fences, these men
are "up against it." Their fine stock
is in immediate danger Of deteriora-
ton and loss and the range that they
used by common consent Is thrown
open to despoilation by the same
piratical outfits above mentioned. We
believe hat these stockmen are en-
titled to some consideration and If
they are willing to pay for he privi-
llege should be granted exclusive use
to a limited amount of grazing lani'
If the land is suitable for farming
there should be no leases granted Tor
more thar a season, and we do not be-
lieve there will be.
Under the present land laws, not as
they read but as they were admins
tered, the settler and the little stock
man could fence a little pasture. He
can't do that now. 1t was the old sys'
TEN of free range n no fences that
produced the cattle baron and nothing
will take us back so quick as the pres.
ent enforcement of the laws prohibit
ling fencing, for then the little fellow
will have no show at all against the
big man, be he sheep or cattle.
We should like to repeat what we
Expressed in a recent editorial. In
Laramie county, where the range ma
been administered illegally, but salts
factorily to all concerned under con
ditions approaching the dmnnhstra'
ton of a lease law, there have been
steady and numerous homestead nj
|ings. Timber and stone entries are
Frequently fraudulent attempts at land
grabbing. There are practically none
in This district. The same is true of
communicated homesteads. There have
been only seven in the past year.
In Natrona county, the number OF
bona fide homsteads is very small
and free range is almost unlimited,
Doesn't it show, Mr.. Wheeler, that
where the range is entirely open that
the bona fide settler is more timid
than in a community where his neigh
bors are content with a little range
and better stock?
Doesn't it show that wher ranch
men can lease there viii be less
fraud, because where there is open
range the sheep and cattle men de-
eide they must have land, and there is
no provision in the land laws for them
to get it honestly?
The sheepmen have rights, certain
lly. and we do not believe there Is
any desire to take from them what Is
,egitimately theirs. There are great
stretches of grazing land that are good
for nothing else, and only profitable
for sheep grazing. The sheepmen
themselves would doubtless be glad OF
a condition that would enable them for
a small cost to be certain of grass
enough for their flocks.
Mr.. Wheeler should not think that
because the views of the Tribune diff
| fer from his own, that 1t is the Tribune
| which is narrow. Most of the men,
bers of its editorial II business stat
have not only travelled extensively ov.
err the state but they are personally
familiar with range conditions, as we'll
as the conditions facing the settler
who tries to wrest a living, much less
a fortune, from the soil of Wyoming.
Our pest reply to Mr.. Wheeler's
declaration that the Tribune is not
accurate in its conclusions as to the
sentiment of the Denver lands con-
vention is the interview appearing to-
day with Mr.. Luke Voorhees,, himself
an experienced stockman and an at
tendant at the convention. The inter
view which appeared first in The Lara
ME Republican throws a good deal OF
light upon the subject and bears out
our contention that the convention did
not reflect fairly the concensus OF
opinion in this state or in the west on
the land questions.