Las Vegas daily optic., 1907-02-16
HoTH sHEEPMEs AND CATTLE.
MEN GATHER AT CAPITAL TO
PROTECT INTERESTS.
fight ON LEASE LAW
Senate Committee Gives Both Sides
Full Nearing And Many Questions
Are Asked.
Special Correspondence


My. but New Mexico Is a long dis
tance from the SCAT Of government oI
this great nation.
never come here but wonder mol
why We dont get more from the pow
ers that be. but rather that they eve,
think of rs at all.
find that travelling on the limited
doesn't mean getting into chicsgo on
time by a good deal. for the train we
were on landed US In the Windy City
nine hours late.
by US ! mean Mr.. Fl. A. Jastro. Hon.
Jerry Leahy, who joined Us at Ratca.
and your humble servant.
From Hutchinson, Kansas. We we've
In the snow belt clear to this city. All
through Kansas. Iowa. Illinois and 9th
er states IL lay a foot or more deep
and the whole country seemed in the
close grasp Of winter.
Chicago was bitterly cold. wita
sleights and cutters much In evidence.
4 few hours delay there enabled US
10 get around town n little, meeting
Mir. J. E. Hurley of the Santa Fe
among other ,exNew Mexicans.
The snow got worse the farther east
We rode and we found it deep in the
streets Of the city. with lots OF sleigns
and cutters on even Pennsylvania
avenue, and an almost zero tempera'
ture. They say its been this way for
week and looks as II 1t would last en-
other week or two. or the committee
OF seven appointed by the president,
but four are here TO meet with the pub,
lie lands commission Mr.. Jastro. Sen
ator Warren. Mr. earns of Idaho aud
myself.
In addition to this huge delegation
of stock men from all over the west
Is here TO take hand In the meetings
and the thing promises TO resolve IT.
self into the old fight between the
sheep men and the cattle men. The
sheep men are especially insistent and
active and some of the best known
sheep raisrs of the west are here ready
to raise very vigorous protest against
the passage of any bill concerning the
leasing Of the public lands.
An day Sunday and today have We
met in sessions trying to work out
some harmonious plan by which va
could go before the senate committee
ON agriculture In whose hands tho
matter now lies. but the more We talk
the worse the matter looks.
Today we met with the public lands
commission which consists of the cont
missioner of public lands, the chief 1f
the bureau OF forestry an dthe chief
of the reclamation service.
Red hot speeches were made by both
sides, arguments pro and con given
a full hearing. but to no avail. So at
2 p. m. we adjourned to meet at the
senate committee rooms and make our
little talks before that body.
BY mutual agreement both sides |
were given a full hearing and all of
the senators asked many questions re-
garding the matter.
1t was 6 O'Clock before this commit. |
tee finished with us and now the mat i
ter rests with them. The whole ques- !
ton is covered by short clause in the |
agricultural appropriation bill which in /
brief gives the secretary of agriculture |
charge over the public lands of the |
United States with power to lease |
them to the settlers under such rules |
and regulations as he may deem best |
and provides especially that under nc |
circumstances shall the rights of the |
homesteader be abridged or curtailed |
in any particular.
On this question the presidents spe-
cial committee are unanimously In IA. |
favor Of the passage OF the amendment.
The cattle men present were also and |
a few sheep men. but as general |
thing the sheep men are against it un-
alterably.
Senator Proctor Of Vermont, who is
chairman OF the committee, announced
that they would report the bill tomor-
row. Tuesday. and the matter is nov
in their hands. but It is generally re.
allied that the senate will be against |