The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-02-27

tQe secretary VI agriculture Moy Pic-
cribe, and after J January lst, 1908, sit
shall be unlawful to Craze live stock
on any portion of the public domain
that has previously been designated
as a grazing district, "otherwise than
as said rules and regulations shall
prescribe"
We submit that this doesn't look
like a square deal, and while 1t ap-
pears to have the approval OF the
president it has not the appearance of
being in the interest of the settler up.
on the public domain. with whom the
president has always declared himself
in sympathy and for whom his active
advocacy and support may be looked
for when this question Is presented to
him in its true focus. It may seem
strange that a newspaper representing
a grazing community is not at this
late day prepared to fire big guns in
favor of one side or the other of this
question of use of the public domain
for grazing, but while this paper has
an opinion, it is by 10 meanes sure
that it Is a correct one, and as the
range.grazing contingent is by no
of one mind on this subject it
may be pardoned a mere representa-
tive of the interest that it is unable to
announce with emphasis the correct
solution of the impending troubles.
We are free to say, however, that
we do not believe it is to be found in
the adoption of the Burkett bill if-as
we understand 1.-THE bill proposes to
lease land in large areas for long
terms, to the exclusion of the public,
as cited in the paragraph first quoted
above. To be sure there is a sop or
two thrown to the aforesaid public in
the shape of a little royalty or ''rake-
off" to the respective counties from
the accruing rentals, and gracious
permission for any prospective home.
steader to enter without fear upon the
extensive domain of some lordly leaser
and there set up his household goods
and build for himself a home with all
the privileges appertaining to a home.
steader anywhere, but no one in this
country needs to be told how very
narrow and curtailed those privileges
would be in the 8 of q hOmesteader
who should attempt to establish a
homestead in the interior OF q barOny
of some thousands Of acres leased for
q long term of years by q wealthy
owner. He would simply be a prisoner
and it would be no reflection on the
leaser OF the larger tract that he
would be so regarded and treated.
1t would be almost safe to say that
a man who would attempt a home
stead under such conditions would
have in mind an idea that he could be
somewhat troublesome and might be
bought off, so that the privilege of
DEMONSTRATING inside the leased domain
amounts to but little and the rake-off
from the rental, less, the probable re-
suits to any community afflicted with
an application of the Burkett bill be.
ing its public domain absorbed. into
large landed estates and all of it's in
ducements for immigration and settle
ment absolutely cut off. When land
can be leased for a few cents per acre
and controlled as absolutely as If
held under patent or deed, the leasers
will not be lacking, for the accumula-
lions of the Rockefellers, the Morgans
and the Harrimans will be behind them
and whoever of our cheap little range
owners who cannot ally himself with
some money syndicate will find thai
for him at least, the range days are
over.
1t is a big question and cannot pos
sibly be adjusted at one sitting OF con
gress. It is apparent that even "Ted
dy" who was once q range stock own
err and presumed to understand rang
conditions, is not as we'll posted as h.
might be, owing to the development o
the country since his days OF ranching
Advancing agricultural methods hav
shown that much Of the land that ha
hitherto been regarded as fit for moth
ing but grazing, is in fact very super
Tor agricultural land, much better tina
J the grassy bottom lands that wer
thought to be the only arabic land
of the country some ten or fifteen year
ago, and it Is these valuable land
that are proposed to be tied up frol
: settlement and development for q
time by the Burkett bill.
But what are you going to do sbo,
it? Some one may ask. What has til
Journal to propose? Nothing muct
Nothing new, at least. but just THU
Suppose while the range lasts and
won't be many years, suppose We r.
turn to first principles. All fenc<
down except on decided lands, an
open range for everybody with loci
usage to protect local rights and q