, 1907-06-19

tive for cattle The development OF
stock water through experimental Dor.
ings on large ranches has been a par
ticularly prominent feature of the
Texas leasing system. The manager
of one large ranch asserted that by the
development OF a well distributed wa
ter supply his range was made to carry
so per cent more stock than before,
After a reasonable probability of Sc
curing water in a certain region at an
economical depth has been demonstrate
ed, the boring OF wells is quickly taken
up by all the settlers.
s. A better breed of cattle Is usually
maintained on fenced ranges, where
h%igh.grade bulls can be kept with much
less danger of loss than on the open
range, and the parentage OF all young
stock can be Known.
8. The percentage OF increase In
breeding stock is greater under the
leasing system, because in fenced areas
the date of turning In the bulls with
the cows a be controlled and the
date at which the calves are born IA
be fixed at not earlier than the list OF
April, when the weather has moderate
ed. Under the open range system
many of the calves were born earlier,
when the mothers We're in too weak
condition, from the severity of the
| weather, to suckle them. At h n
of unusually severe winters on the
open range not only was there a high
percentage of lost calves, but the COWS
themselves often died from the shock
of calving.
10. Cattle stealing has been much re-
duced as 4 result of leasing. Under
the open range system the owner OF a
few cattle is at a distinct disadvantage,
in the matter of finding his stock, In
comparison with a large owner. Inc
latter, having many employees. can
watch his stock over a wide territory,
Hook after them with a fair degree OF
success, and be represented at every
branding roundup in the region. Inc
small owner, having no employees, can
not keep track Of all his stock, dritt-
ling as they often do over a very large
Territory, and some Of his calves Ne
loses through failure TO find and brand
them. In order to make good these
losses and increase his herd the small
owner on the open range is constantly
subjected to the temptation of putting
his own brand upon cattle which ne
knows do not belong to him. Under
the open range system the stealing oil
cattle is more easily justified by the
thief, and detection is much more dit
6cult than when he must enter an In
| closure containing a single rand IN
order to do his stealing.
II. The use of fear, threat and open
| violence as means of controlling por'
tons of public land for range purposes
has almost disappeared in Texas. IN
der the lease law the rights OF STOCK
Owners and of settlers are defined, ana
an appeal to the civil courts by anyone
whose rights nave been infringed takes
the place of an appeal to violence.
1t is reasonable to presume hat II
Texas, after twenty-three years OF ex'
~perience, stands squarely by he leas'
ing law, hat it Is a good thing. Eek
~perience is the best teacher we nave.
Texas, too, does not lease an acre OIL
ground for less than three cents per
annum, but President Roosevelt has
stated repeatedly that it is not the pur'
pose of the administration to collect
more revenue than is necessary to pay
the expense of carrying the statute IN
to effect.
1t can be safely asserted that there
will be no such policy as a permit sys-
tenn applied to the public domain. 1t
smacks entirely too much OF socialism
and would not bring about the results
achieved by the Texas plan. The stock
men of the west want a plan that VIII
give Individual control; a plan that VIII
give to iessees the right to fence and
to control Internationally certain de-
fined areas for a specific term OF years.
subject only to the operation OF the
land laws.