The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-04-03
oARFlELo's ORDER REGARDING
FENCING CRITICISED.
MAY RESULT IN INSOLVENCY
Cattlemen Throughout the State Of
Texas Say That Such a Ruling
Means Their Ruin--Will Have
to Abandon Cattle Business.

ment from Washington that Secre.
tary Garfield Of the department Of in.
terror will not set aside the order
practically prohibiting fencing of the
public domain has created Il furury
among local cattlemen' interested,
and it will have a similar effect upon
all cattlemcn Of the Southwest con
concerned in the matter.
Governor Frantz Of Oklahoma tele-
graphed Secretary Garfield request
ing that the order be either rescinded
or not enforced until relief can be
asked of the next congress. The argu-
mcnt was put forth that cattlemen are
ready and willing to pay rental ON the
land providing they are given fencing
rights. but that if fencing on the large
scale is prohibited the cattlemen VIA.
remove, causing great loss to the edu.
cation fund Of the state, to say moth
ing of the resultant loss TO the cattle
industry. while the answer Of MIR
Garfield applied only to Oklahoma,
still it is evident that the order will
be enforced in Indian Territory, New
Mexico and others portions wnere
public lands are situated, the same
that it is enforced in Oklahoma. En-
forcement of this order will, it is
claimed, result in incalculable loss to
the cattlemen who ship their stock
cattle every spring to the territories
FOR spring pasturng.
Colonel Clay w. Merchant, the sage
of Abilene, who grazes big herds of
cattle on the public domain of New
Mexico, was in Fort Worth yesterdaY,
and was very much pcrturbed because
of the pending prohibition Of fencing.
Il have telegraphed my son to take
up seventy five miles of fencing on
the New Mexico domain, and this will
Just about force me to dispose of my
Mexico cattle at great sacrifice, and
practically abandon the cattle bust
ness in New Mexico. Others will be
affected similarly, as it will be next
to impossible to Craze cattle on the
almost endless domains without renc'
ing.
For over twenty years cattlemen
have had the flee and full right tC
use the public domain, and to make
the change now means thousands oi
dollars of loss, which estimate al
fully 50 cents on the dollar with thos,
directly affected.
"The last congress was appealed e
to enact a law permitting leases, bu
the Efforts failed, and Presiden
Roosevelt, having advised beforehand
will not come to the rescue of tn,
situation"
Postmaster Len Barkley, erstwhil'
stockman. says that the situation Il
serious, and the order is deplorable
| Cattlemen affected will suffer to ;
great extent, and it will doubtless b'
the ruination of many, says Mr.. Bark
ley.
| Judge S. II. Cowan, general attor
ney for the Cattle Raisers' associa
tion, said that he had not been full!
advised regarding the order, and I'm
til he receives copy of the same ant
delves into It, he will not be in a pc
sition 20 speak intelligently regarding
the matter. However, he ventured Il
say that If the order Is enforced 1
will result IN much loss TO hundredI
OF cattlemen, and creates a situation
serious indeed.
The movement of stock cattle from
Texas points to the territory pastures
will cease to very noticeable extern
because OF this order, according tC
those familiar with the conditions
brought about. At their recent con
vention the Cattle Raisers' association
passed a strong resolution anent the
fencing proposition, and some con
certed action looking TO relief before
the next congress would not be unex
pected,
Every man that is a constant smO