The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-02-20
OPPOSE GRAZING TAX.
Western Congressman Will Resist
Plan Proposed BY Senate
Committee.

WASHINGTON, Feb. II. At the
meeting of the senate committee on
agriculture today favorable action
was taken on the amendment relating
to grazing permits, which is favored
by the president and the department
of the interior, and which is opposed
by many stockmen from the grazing
states. Several western senator's as
sert that the amendment will never get
through the senate as a rider on the
agricultural bill, az now proposed.
The Montana senators and others are
ready to go to any length to defeat the
measure.
Following is the text Of the grazing
amendment agreed upon by the com.
mittee:
Hereafter, for the purpose of re.
storing, protecting and increasing the
grazing value of the public domain
and promoting the agricultural use
thereof, the secretary of agriculture
may organize grazing districts and
regulate and control grazing upon the
unappropriated unreserved lands of
the United States under such rules and
regulations as he may prescribe, and
charge and collect reasonable fees for
grazing thereon, the receipts may be
deposited in the treasury of the United
States to credit of the special fund oh.
tanned from charges for timber, graz.
ing and other resources of the nation
al forests and provided for by section
s Of the act of February l, 1906, which
is hereby appropriated and made
valid to uses and under the restric.
tions provided by law, for the regu.
l%ation, restoration, protection and in.
crease of grazing upon the public
lands and for the employment of ne.
cessary assistants for such purpose in
the city of Washington and elsewhere,
and it shall be unlawful after January
/, 1908, to Craze any livestock upon
any grazing district otherwise than as
the said rules and regulations shall
prescribe.
'Provided, that all leases or per.
mits 70 Craze shall be subject to prior
homestead or other settlement, loca-
ton, entry, patent or any other dis
posal of public lands under the public
land laws, and any appropriation SO
made shall operate as a cancellation
of said lease or permit az to the land
so appropriately: provided, further,
that bona fide homestead settlers or
residents shall be permitted to Craze
free of charge their stock used for ne.
cessary domestic purposes on the pub.
lie lands affected hereby.
"Provided, that preference shall be
given to bona fde homesteaders and
settlers in the allotment of an equit.
able proportion of ranges adjacent &c
their homes, not later than the begin
ming of the next annual grazing pc
riod az provided; and further, that al
of the receipts from the grazing fees,
herein authorized in excess of cost q
administr alton, protection and i'm
provement of public range and neces'
sary working capital for the ensuing
fiscal year. shall be paid to the states
and territories in which said fees
originate at the close of each fisca
year, to be used for schools, roads, ir
rigation or other public purposes al
the respective Legislatures may pre-
scribe, the distribution of such resi-
due to be ~proportionate to the receipts
from said grazing fees from the re
spective states and territories during
the preceding fiscal year, but nothint
herein shall be construed to proven
the payment of 10 per cent. of the re
ceipts from national forests to tn