Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-01

| obeyed and enforced the law, but we have
| corrected many fragrant abuses. Neverthe-
less. we have also caused hardship, which,
| though unavoidable, l was exceedingly I'M
| willing to cause. In some way other
| we must provide for the use of the public
| range under conditions which shall inure
| primarily to the benefit of the actual set
| tiers on or near 1t. and which shall prevent
| its being wasted. This means that in some
shape or way the fencing of pasture land
| must be permitted under restrictions which
will safeguard the rights of the actual set
| tiers. I desire to act as these actual set
tiers wish to have me in this matter. 1
| wish to find out their needs and desires
| and then to try to put them into effect. But
| they must take trouble, must look ahead to
! their own ultimate and real good, must in
sist upon being really represented by their
| public men, II we are to have a good result.
| A little while ago 1 received very manly
| and sensible letter from one of the prom-
nent members of the Laramie County
| (Wyo) Cattle and Horse Growers Asso-
citation. My correspondent remarked Incl
dentally in his letter, Il am a small ranch
| man, and have to pillow and pitch hay my
self" and then went on to say that the
great majority of their people had COM
piled with the governmental order. had re-
moved their fences and sold their cattle,
but that they must get some kind Of lease
law which would permit them to Craze their
stock under proper conditions or else 1t
would be ruinous to them to continue in the
business. The thing I have most at heart
| as regards this subject is to do whatever
the people for whom this correspondent Of
mine spoke-the small ranchmen who have
to pillow and pitch hay themselves. All l
want to do is to find out what will be to
their real benefit, for that is certain to be
to the benefit of the country a whole. 1t
may be that we can secure their interests
best by permitting all homesteaders in the
dry country to inclose, individually or
certain number Of them together, big tracts
of range for summer use, the tracts being
proportional to the number OF neighboring
homesteaders who wish to run their cattle
upon it. 1t may be that parts of the range
will only be valuable for companies that
can lease 1t and put large herds on It; for
the way properly to develop region ts to
put 1t to those uses to which it Is best
adapted The amount to be paid for the
leasing privileges is to me matter of COM
not wish to make money out of the range,
but simply to provide for the necessary
pervision that will prevent its being eaten
out or exhausted; that is, that will secure
it unchanged an asset for the next gen.
Grafton, for the children Of the present
home-makers OF course, we must also
provide enough to pay the proper share of
the county taxes. l am not welded to any
one plan, and 1 am willing to combine
several plans If necessary. But the pres
ent system Is wrong. and hope to see. In
all the states of the great plains and the
Rockies, the men like my correspondent of
the Laramie County Cattle and Horse
Growers Association, the small ranchmen
s'who pillow and pitch hay themselves"
seriously take up this matter and make
their representatives in Congress UNDER
stand that there must be some solution. and
that this solution shall be one which will
secure the greatest permanent well-being to
the actual settlers. the actual ome-makers
I promise with all the strength 1 have to
cooperate toward this end.