Gilpin observer., 1907-12-26
CONTROL OF
GRAZING Land
BILL FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF
GRAZING DISTRICTS AND 49,
SUE OF LEssEEs.
STILL OPEN TO ENTRY
STATE BOARDS TO COOPERATE
WITH U. 8. GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS.

Washington. D. C.-Senator Burkett
OF Nebraska on Saturday has intro
duced bill, which has the approval
of the secretary of the interior and
Forester Pinchot, to provide for gov
ernment control of vacant grazing
lands remaining in states and terri
tories.
The principal provisions Of the bill
are as follows:
The President is authorized to es-
tablish by proclamation grazing dis
tricts to be placed under charge OF the
secretary of agriculture, who shall
prescribe rules and regulations for
their control and appoint officers nee
essary fol their protection and admin
istration.
The secretary shall issue permits to
Craze livestock in the districts for pc
RODS of not more than ten years, CIV
ing preference to homesteaders and
present occupants and ranchmen who
own improved ranches, or who have
provided water for livestock grazed
on public lands, and shall charge and
collect reasonable fees for such graz
ing permits based upon the grazing
value of the land.
The bill provides that the governor
of a state or territory may appoint
committee of not more than four men,
bers from users of such grazing dis
trict, who with an officer appointed
by the secretary of agriculture to take
charge of the district, shall constitute
.x,h oh oh 10
termine whether permits shall be is
sued upon an acreage, or per capita
basis, or community allotments, and
also determine the number of animals
to be grazed in each district when
placed upon a per capita basis, and
adopt special rules to meet local con-
ditions. The secretary of agriculture
shall decide in case of a difference be-
tween a majority of the board and
the officers in charge.
The bill provides that lands within
grazing districts shall be continually
subject to homestead entry, but that
after the establishment of any district
no form of location, or entry thereon,
shall give right of grazing, except
when made under laws requiring cul-
tivation, or agricultural use of land,
and that permits shall not be affected
by subsequent appropriation of such
land until the end of the current an
nual grazing period; also that no per-
NIT shall be issued which will entitle
entrymen to the use of improved land
owned by prior occupant until paid
for at a reasonable valuation.
Grazing lands shall continue subject
to mineral entry and persons shall
have the right to move livestock
across rented lands under restrictions
to protect lessees.
The secretary of agriculture may
set aside not more than three per cent
Of the public lands in any district for
the use of schools, churches, state or
county buildings.
Present water laws shall not be
changed. The bill also provides that
the secretary of agriculture shall fix
date not less than one year from
the establishment of grazing dis
trict, after which grazing of livestock
in such district without permit shall
be punishable by a fine of not less
than $40, or more than $1,000, or by
Imprisonment of not less than ten
days, or more than one year, or by
both fine and Imprisonment, at the dis
erection of the court. The bill provides
$250.0O0 for the payment Of the ex-
penses necessary to put the act into
effect. Ten per centum of all money
received from rentals shall be paid
to the state, or territory in which they
are collected, to be expended as the
state or territorial legislature may
prescribe for the benefit of county or
counties in which the grazing district
is situated.