Albuquerque morning journal., 1907-02-25

an amendment to the agricultural ap-
prDpriatiOn bilI. This amendment was
stricken out at the instance of Senator
Warren and other western senators.
upon a parliamentary point and so
the question ended so far as this con-
gress is concerned. II is to come up
I'm the next congress"
The government control of the
public domain is certain To come"
said Mfr. Jastro. The president has
announced his intention of bringing
about such cOntro! and there is eV-
cry reason to believe that he will sue
.ceed. A bin will be introduced early
i'm the next congress and it will be-
come Law. Prior to the late conven-
tions of the National Wool Grawcrs'
association and the American National
Live Stock association, the purpose of
the president as regards control of the
public domain had become known. l
proposed in both of those conventions,
and the conventions passed Tesolu-
tions. asking that the president ap-
point a committee of stock growers
representing the interests of the west,
to consult with the public lands COM
mission upon the framing of lease
law. The president appointed a COM
mittee of seven for this purpose and
we have been in Washington meeting
with the commission upon the pro-
posed legislation
Both Mr.. Luna and Mr. Jastro. al
though holding different views as to
the effects of the proposed legislation,
have been working hard to protect the
interests of New Mexico in whatever
laws may be proposed or passed The
law proposed at this session would
have placed the entire public domain
of the United States under the direc-
tion OF one man, the secretary of agri-
culture. Many of the stOckmen who
know Mr.. Pinchot, the chief forester,
would not object so seriously to the
management of this vast trust by a
man of his wide and thorough knowl-
edge of western conditions, but the
fear Is that man might come into
control in future who would not be
so familiar with these conditions. The
matter of the charge for grazing is
another grave question. 1t Is frankly
stated that some of the charges pro-
posed would be disastrous to the small
sheep owner of the southwest, who
with his small herds, would not be
able to pay the charges. Curiously
enough although the large cattlemen
have been favoring the enactment of
some legislation along the lines pro-
pbHCu ny bllt pI'HlhNllA' NJ Jtl9tl',
himself one of the heaviest holders of
cattle in the west, expresses the be-
lief that the lease law as he tersely
expresses 1t put the large cattle out
fits out of business.
Because" explains Mr. Jastro
briefly. they will not be able to pay
the charges"
Mr.. Jastro holds, however, that the
public domain belongs to the govern
ment. and that the government has
the right to regulate its use. it being
up to the stock men,to protect his in
teTests as best he can and secure the
most favorable conditions to be OBJ
tanned.
Mr.. Luna, who was summoned to
Washington hurriedly, when there
seemed proba ability of the passage
of a leasing law at this session. does
not believe that the leasing system
will be a protection to the home
steader-the chief object of the legis-
lation proposed--and recognizes that
unless the conditions in the sheep
growing industry, especially in the
southwest, are taken into considera-
/ ton in making the regulations for the
| control of the public domain. that ser
/ ious injury may result to the industry
/ in the southwest.
The question is one which will have
/ the very careful consideration of the
best minds in the west between now
and the convcning of the next con
| greSS