The Socorro chieftain., 1907-10-19
ON CONTROL OF RANGE
Hon. H. 0. Bursum Makes Strong
Address before Wool Growers
Convention
OPPOSED TO ANY LEASE LAW
Stock Grower Not Disposed to Inter
fere with Actual Settler or Home
Builder.

hon. III. ~. hnrSum addre -
before the second annual convrn-
tion of the New Mexico Wool
Growers association in A!bu.
querque a few days ago has been
so widely published and has been
made the subject ul 50 much
favorabl comment that it can
not fail to interest read,Is of The
Chieftain. That part OF the
address dealing with the propOs-
ed lease law is given below and
the remainder of it, which deals
with the no less important sub
iect of national forests, will be
published in these columns next
week. Mr.. BurSum said:
THE LEASE LAW.
Fellow Wool Growers: There
are number of matters of vital
interest to the wool growing in
duStry in New Mexico. The
wool growers have been extreme
ly fortunate during the past few
years in obtaining excellent
prices for their products and
through the good Offices of AL
mighty Providence in giving to
us the best range we have had
for years, and this fact taken in
connection with the satisfactory
prices has made the business of
the sheep grower extremely sat
islactory and prosperous, but at
this time there seems to be a
threatening cloud that might re-
suit in the withdrawal of the
privilege Of free public range
which the stock grower has here
tolore enjoyed. 1t is currently
believed that another effort will
be made to pass a lease law or
provide such legislation as will
enable the land department to
have complete control of the pub
lie domain. 1t has heretofore
been the policy of the east to un-
dertake to educate the west upon
matters whic were of supreme
Importance to western industries.
1t seems to me that the time has
now arrived when the west
should educate the east upon
matters of vital importance to us.
OF course there may be differ
enceS of opinion as to what con-
stitutes a proper policy with ref
erence to our grazing lands. |
am willing to concede that the
interests who are now support
ing the lease law or government
control and regulation of the
public domain are doing so in en-
tirely good faith. There is,
however, in my judgment, no
reason, no precedent, and GER
tainly no equity, for the enact
ment of such a law. Since the
organization of the United
States the necessity for such a
law has never arisen. Every
state in the uniou, except the
state of Texas, which owns her
own lands, has been settled up
without the aid of the lease law.
1t has been universally conceded,
by precedent, by custom and
equity that the pioneer, the first
settler, is entitled to the free
use of pasturage of the public
domain surrounding such settle
ment. Many of these settlers
and pioneers during the early
days and first stages of develop
inRnt of the frontier have risked
their lives, suffered deprivations
which naturally come to the set
tiers of the frontier and in many
instances have sacrificed and
shed their blood at the hands of
the savage Indian in order that
their children and successors
might be permitted to peaceably
occupy and enjoy the benefits Of
such settlements and build up an
industry which would provide
for them livelihood and mater
tally contribute towards the com.
mercial wealth of this territory
and thereby make a profitable
use of the pasturage on our pub
lie domain which could not help
but rebound to the benefit of all
our people.
IF these pioneers are not en-
titled to the free use of the
range, in Gods name, who is?
Can il be possible that the gov
ernment should take charge OF
This matter for the purpose OF
revenue? / take it that no such
policy is intended.