The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-02

everything except the profits of the mo- ment. To permit the continuance of this illegal fencing inevitably tended to very grave abuses, and the government has therefore forced the fencers to take down their fences.
 Obey the Laws.
 In doing this we have not only obeyed and enforced the law, but we have cor rected many fragrant abuses. Neyerthe- less, we have also caused hardship, which, though unavoidable, l was exceedingly unwilling to cause. In some way or other we must provide for the use of the pub lie range under conditions which shall inure primarily to the benefit of the actual settlers on or neag it, and which shall prevent it's being wasted This means that in some shape or way tho fencing of pasture land must be per- mitted under restrictions which will safe guard the rights of the actual settlers. l desire to act as these actual settlers wish to have me in this matter. I 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 insist upan being really represented by their public men. if we are to have a good result. A little whihe ago l re- ceived a very manly and sensible letter
 
 the Laramie County, Wyo., Cattle and Horse Growers association. My corre- spondent remarked incidentally in his let ter, q am a small ranchman, and have to blow and pitch hay myself, and then went on to say that the great majority of their people had complied with the governmental order, had removed their fences and sold their cattle, but that they must get some kind of a lease law which would permit them to graze their stock under proper conditions or else 1t would be ruinous to them to continue in the business. The thing 1 have most at heart as regards this subject Is to do whatever will be of permanent benefit to just exactly the people for whom this correspondent of mine spolSe-the small ranchmen who have to blow and pitch hay themselves. All 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 as a whole. It 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 proportioned to the number of neighbqring homesteaders who wish to run their cattle upon it.
 To Lease Lands.
 It may be that parts or the range VIII only be valuable for companies that can lease it and put large herds on it: for the way properly to develop region is to put it to those uses to which it Is best adapted. The amount to be paid for the leasing privilege is to me a mat ter of comparative indifference The government does not wish to make money out of the range, but simply to provide for the necessary supervision that will prevent it's being eaten out or exhausted; that is, that will secure 1t undamaged as an asset for the next generation, for tho children of the present home makers. Of course we must also provide enough to pay the proper share of the county taxes. am not welded to any one plan. and 1 am willing to combine several plans If necessary. But the present system Is wrong. and l 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 Grow CTS association, the small ranchmen who blow and pitch hay themseves,' seriously take up this matter and make their repre- sentatives in Congress understand 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 home makers l promise with all the strength have to cooperate toward this end.