The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-02-12

ming cattleman sheepman and farm
er. said he was willing TO have govern
mitted to say what the grazing fees
should be in that stata
Although Secretary OF Agriculture Will
son and Chief Forester PinchOt were
present Mr.. Bell pointed out that il was
a mistake to put 400,O00,000 acres in the
hands of one man to fix the price 10 be
paid for grazing. 1T is too great test
of one mans honesty he said.
After a number of other cattlemen were
heard DR. J. NJ. Wilson. Of Douglas. as
the spokesman for the National Wool
growers association. of which Senator
Warren is president. opposed the amend
ment. Mr.. Walsh said that to turn loose
an army Of special agents TO enforce the
proposed law would be TO invite corrup-
ton.
Presidents Letter.
The presidents letter to Senator War
rem follows:
''The White House. Washington. Feb.
H. 1907.
My Dear Senator Warren.-In accord
ance with our recent conversation, 1 am
very glad to send YOU this short state
ment Of my. position regarding govern
ment control of the range. / am fully in
accord with your view that the local con-
troll Of the range should be in the hands
of western men familiar with stock
raising. and believe in full local partici-
patton i'm the management OF range land
OF course. you must not divide the re-
SDOlSlnlULN 10 \ point Nnere YOU can
hold no one responsible but cooperation
between the stockmen and the govern
ments Officers is absolutely essential.
FaVors Small Fees.
"Uhe grazing fees should be small. espe-
ciaily so at first. ! am not anxious that
the government should get a net revenue
from grazing on the public range. but
only enough TO pay for administration
and Improvement. and any surplus might
a rat nyeI faF-rffs aFsfas fft
which the fees are collected.
AS soon as bill for range control ia
passed, 1t goes without saying that such
control should not be taken hurricdIy
but gradually as grazing districts can be
organized. There is one prime essential
IN this policy OF range cOntrol-the home
stedder must be protected i'm his rights
TO create a home for his family. and he
must have whatever range rights are
necessary for that purpose.
Fences Must Come Down.
1T is unlawful at present to fence the
public domain. All fences unlawfully
maintained viii have to be taken down.
Unless congress takes action to legalizc
reasonable and necessary fencing
through government control OF the range
there Will be very serious loss TO stock
men throughout the west. whose bust
ness in very many cases cannot be con-
Quoted without fencing and this loss
will often fall hardest on the small man.
Il cannot consent to a clause cOntin-
uing for year. or for any length Of
time. the present illegal fencing
The utmost / will consent to- So far
as my power extends in the matter of
legislation. is to continue such fences as
in my Judgment it is right and proper
for me TO continue. Ny first care is for
the homesteader and the small stockman.
Blames sheepmen.
The opposition we have TO our propos-
al now comes primarily from the big mon
who Craze wandering flocks OF sheep
and who do not promote the real settle
ment Of the country. These men arc the
men whose interests are diametrically
hostile to those of the home-makers who
wish to eat out and destroy the country.
where he desires permanence: to live and
who, when they have thus ruined the
land of the homesteader and small stock
man. move elsewhere TO repeat the pro-
cess OF devastation. Many of the sheep
men who are permanent jewellers Sympa-
thize with our movement. Others. unfor-
tunately. sympathiZe with their nOmadic
brothers. the ultimate result of whose ac-
tiOns Is 60 destroy the country.
1T must he distinctly understood that
the opposition 10 the proposed measure
for government control is opposition aimed
at the interests of the homc-maker. OF
the hOmesteader. of the small stOckman.
of the large stockman who desires that
the country shall become better and not
worse. and that il is the interests OF
those who think that i'm continuing the
present system they will be able to mo-
nopolize an improper portion of the pub
JIG domain. and who are quite indifferent
as TO whether in the long run they de-
stroy it,
Sincerely yours.
(SigneO
THEODORE ROOSEVELT