The Globe-republican., 1907-06-27
NOT 50 RADICAL
Public Lands Convention at Denver
Adopted a Series of Resolu-
tons and Adjourned.
FOR ACTUAL SETTlERSFIRST
Favor Forest Reserves for Non-Agri.
cultural Land-A Free Range
on Public Domain-The Pres.
dent's Letter.


Denver. June 22,-The first public
land convention ever held came to an
end late Thursday afternoon with the
adoption of a series of resolutions
which were not so radical as expected.
A letter from President Roosevelt was
a feature OF the session The resoiu.
ton over which was the most dis.
pute reads:
I'VE oppose any change In the exist.
Jug laws and customs as to grazing
live stock upon the public domain
outside OF forest reserves" The resolu.
tons say that experience has demon.
strated the wisdom OF the policy OF
treating the lands of the nation as
public trust to be disposed OF in all
cases and wherever possible to actual
settlers The people Of the west are
gnalterably opposed to any change IN
this wholesome and beneficial policy.
Secretary Garfield made a lengthy
argument in support OF the position
assumed by his department He read
4 lette. from President Roosevelt
which was addressed to Secretary OF
Agriculture Wilson, when 1t was ex-
pected he would be present at the con-
ventlon 10 be held at Denver. The pre-
sldent in discussing an advance pro-
gramme of the convention says: The
preliminary discussion of the general
subject in this paper contains several
statements to which desire to call
your especial attention, as they not
merely misrepresent the attitude OF
the administration, but portray that at
titude, as the direct reverse of what
it really is.
"The first and most important OF
these misstatements Is to the effect
that there has been change in the
public land policy of the government,
which change will result in deprtving
the western states OF the right to set
tie the public lands with citizens. This
allegation directly reyerses the actual
facts. The course the government Is
ROW pursuing is to carry out the ira
ditional home-making policy OF the
United States as to its public lands.
Az the men most interested in oppos.
inc the action of the administration
are endeavoring to upset the tradition
al course OF the government and are
doing all in their power to turn tn
public lands over to be exploited by
rich men and powerful corporations
whose interests are hostile to those OF
the home.makers.
THE policy Of the present adminis-
tratlon has steadily been, Is now and
will be in the future, to promote and
foster actual settling actual home
making on the public lands In every
possible way.
"We have incurred the violent hos
t;lity Of the individuals and corpora
tons seeking by fraud and sometimes
hy violence, to acquire and monopo-
he great tracts of public domain to,
the exclusion of the settlers. The ben
eticiaries and instigators Of, or partici
pators in the frauds, OK course, dis
approve the acts of the administration.
But if the administration policy Is
upset the one man who would be ir.
reparably injured would be the settler,
the home.maller, the man of small
means, who has taken UP farm which
he intends himself to work and on the
proceeds of which he intends to sup
port and bring up his family.
las to the forest reserves, their Gre
alton has damaged just one class; the
managers and owners Of great lumber
companies which by Illegal, fraudule
or unfair methods, have desired to
get possession of the valuable timber
cs the public domain, to skin the lanf
and to abandon 1t when impoverished
well-nigh to the point of worthlessness.