The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-01-30
THE LAND LEASING PROBLEM.

SOLuc SyeIctu VI Teasing pOIoAOu0 'NS
public domain is necessary, and be-.
lieve the change in range conditions
cannot be long delayed, they question
the advisability of one of the plans
suggested. The following, from the
Helena Record, describes the position
taken by many Montana stockmen in
this matter:
Former Senator T. g. Power, presi-
dent of the state board of sheep com.
m%issioners, J. E. Bower, president of
the Montana Woolgrowers' associa.
ton, and others are up in arms
against the so-called permit system,
for whose adoption the Burkett bill
introduced in the United States senate
by Burkett, of Nebraska, and MIR.
Pinchot, head of the forest reserve de.
partment, stand sponsor. Senator
Power, in an interview with the Rec.
ord today gave vent to his views in
no uncertain terms. He said:
1.-The Burkett bill has for its pur-
pose the establishment of grazing dis
tricts, patterned after the fashion o:
the forest reserve regulations. That
is, every man who own sheep, cattle
or horses, would be required to pay
for their grazing at so much per head.
These permits are for ten year per.
iods. If passed, the inappropriate
public lands would be placed on the
same basis as are the forest reserves:
that is, any q wishing to Craze
stock thereon would be required to
pay SO much per head. 1t would
mean the policing OF the public domain
as are the forest reserves.
"This is in direct opposition to the
recommend alton of President Roose.
welt in his letter to Secretary Hitch
cock, dated Jan. 2, 1907, wherein he
said: Il trust that the senators and
representatives from the great grazing
states will realize that this mean that
if-as l believe there should be-there
Is to be a modification of the law by
which it would be possible to allow by
lease the temporary enclosure of por-
tiOns of the public domain for grazing
purposes on such conditions as the
department finds compatible with the
best interests of the actual settlers
OF the small homesteader, the home
makers-then that this change of the
law must be made at this session."
AT the meeting Of livestock men
convened in Helena on Jan. 10, last,
a resolution was adopted in substance
as follows: 'Stockmen of Montana
favor the passage of a leasing law Of
the grazing lands on the public domain
along the lines suggested in the letter
of the president to Secretary Hitch
cock, giving present homesteaders and
homemakers the priority of right OF
leasing lands adjacent to their present
holdings
"At the recent meeting of the Ma
tional Woolgrowers' association held
in Salt Lake, Mr.. Pinchot was present
and was urging the adoption of the
permit system, which to my mind is no
more or less than a peonage PROPOSE
ton, pure and simple. Under a leas.
ing law q settler could lease land in
proximity to his own and fence it,
grazing his stock thereon. Under the
permit system, he would have control
over nothing; simply pyaing for the
/ mi i1nrn ~ .pCnutrcv ,,hauavnr ho f0rrI
range. There is a vast distinction be-
tween the two, and | would call atten.
ton to the material adv antages 10
favor of the leasing idea.
"Pinchot seemed to have control OF
the large owner present at Salt Lake.
In Montana there are approximately
400 woolgrowers. At the Salt Lake
meeting this state was represented by
six or eight persons, many OF whom
were interested in forest reserve per.
mits. 1t is safe TO state thai when the
400 woolgrowers of this state realize
the difference between the two prOpO.
sit!ons that there will be no doubt rs
to their practically unanimous senti.
ment in favor of the leasing idea. Al
the recent Denver meeting resolutions
favoring the leasing proposition were
also adopted. il | remember correctly
So it is to seer that, as the presiden'
intimates, the owners favor the leasing
idea.
lit is high time that all owner:
should apprise themselves Of the rea
situation and take steps to bring abou
portends no good if enacted into
law
Sunflower Philosophy.