, 1907-06-19

with its use could be a forcibly urg.
ed in favor of federal police controi
over all PARTS of the country because
of an Unfortunate frequency Of crimes
of violence.
All Land to Be Leased.
There are a considerable number OF
people, 1 am told, who are inclined to
favor a government leasing policy.
Most of such, whom l have met, meal
by this a provision of law whereby all
OF a limited portion Of the public do
main in each public land state anil
territory may be leased to those most
entitled to that privilege. They con
template a law under which the area
which may be leased in a single inter
est shall have a definite and reasonable
limit. The maximum charge shall be
fixed and full control for grazing pur-
poses, subject to the right Of settle
ment and entry under the land laws,
be granted the lessee for a definite per.
iod. l understand that some Of those
who favor some sort of a limited II
defined lease law have been inclined to
endorse the proposed legislation of last
February in the belief that it was in
outline some sort of leasing legisla-
ton. One could not we'll fall into gray
er error touching legislation affecting
public lands. The proposed legislation
was in no sense a lease law. The
presidents recommendation, which ]
have referred to, can by no reasonable
construction be considered as a recon-
mendation for what is popularity under
stood as a lease law.
Right Not Now Possessed.
A law allowing certain portions OF
the public lands to be leased would be
q statute comforting OF stockmen and
settlers a right not now possessed by
them, but the legislation for range con
troll is simply the grant Of power to
a government official to compel settlers
and stockmen to pay for rights and
privileges they now enjoy without cost,
or to curtail or deprive them altogether
of these privileges.
Not Popular With Bureau.
A lease law has never been popular
with or met the approval of bureau OF,
f1ers. 1t would give them 10 more con.
troll over the public domain than reg
listers and receivers of land Offices now
have with but little more ministerial
discretion than is now exercised by
those officers. On the other hand the
government control Of the range, and
the legislation proposed to put it into
effect with its grant Of antocratic pow
er had, and has, the enthusiastic and
vigorous support of bureau officials
It is in fact a finished product of bu
~reaucracy, having been conceived and
brought forth by the labor of bureau
officers with only a chosen few to
whom its tr~anscendent virtues in their
particular behalf had been properly ex'
planned, being invited to be present 4.
the accouchment to give the creature
the color of legitimacy.
Leasing Carefully Guarded.
The opposition to the granting of the
vast and unchecked power over the
business. the property and the very ex
istence of large numbers of u people
as proposed in the unlimited control
Of the range by a department officer
does not necessarily mean opposition
to the passage of a carefully guarded
limited leasing law for against such q
law, fully safeguarded 70 prevent, SO
far as possible, abuses of administers
ton and to allow the advance Of SET.
Element and development, there can not
be urged many of the objections that
apply to the granting Of vast and ar
bitrary power to a few individuals, I'm.
der government control of the range.
The objections to guarded leasing leg
~islation relate to its radical departure
from our past policy; the difficulties
of fair administration; Its tendency is
70 Ion Cuarnmant nUnarQhin pnn
to retard the passing of public lands
into private ownership with attendant
settlement and development.
Settlers Are Hesitant.
We are all var Of the hesitancy
with which the better class of settlers
enter upon lands held OF used under
any color of title or authority by an
other. 1t is claimed that illegal fences
have prevented settlement. If that has
been true to any considerable extent.
as to land enclosed without warrant
of law or color of title to the use of
the same, it would to follow that
any color of right or title granted by
authority to the use or fencing OF land
would have a still greater tendency to
discourage settlement.
Acquisition Of Title.
AS an alternative to any legislation
which would lengthen the govern.
ment's control over the public lands
and result in the establishment of per-
manent government %landlordism is the
proposition to make possible the acqui-
sition of title to purely grazing lands.
in fee simple, in areas sufficient to sup
port at least a small livestock business.
Certainly the development of such a
policy is worthy of consideration.
Section Homestead Law.
The necessity for any radical depar-
ture from the past policy Of gradually
passing public lands into the hands Of
individuals is strOngly denied by many.