, 1908-02-07
JUDGE CAREY CoMMENDS LEAS.
ING.


endorses u~nequivocally the leasing bill
recommended by the National Live
Stock association at Denver. Like
Senator Warren, Judge Carey has been
d leader in the live stock business In
this state for more than thirty years,
He knows all about all kinds of ranch
and farm life, He has studied the
conditions from the standpoint of a
stock raiser and hat Of the legislator
His knowledge is born of the ripest
kind of experience and is worthy OF
great value.
Judge Carey points out that the ques
ton is not n new one, but was CON,
sidered during the Hayes administra
ton, when a commission was appointed
to propose amendments to the public
land laws. That commission was con
posed Of able men, but their report
brought forth nothing for the reason
that the stockmen Of the west we're
not agreed upon a policy. He directs
attention to the fact that the commits
sion appointed just a few years ago
brought forth no results for the same
identical reason that the other failed.
The men of the west, those directly
interested. must reach some conclu.
sion before the matter can be settled.
AS the judge says. all Legislation is
pretty much a matter of compromise.
He urges in the strongest kind of a
way that the sheepmen, the cattle
men and the horsemen of the west
get together and determine just what
is the best thing to do, and then urge
their representatives in congress to
act accordingly.
Judge Carey summarizes the Burkett
bill, amended so ably at the Denver
convention, in the following terse
In this connection let lis examine
the range control bill endorsed by the
American National Live Stock asso
citation. BY its provisions the presi-
dent of the United states is authoriz
ed TO establish the grazing districts
and the secretary of agriculture to ap
point the officers necessary for the
administration and protection of such
grazing districts, to improve the
ranges, present o~verstoking, etc. and
issue permits to Craze live stock there
on for periods of not more than ten
years with the right to fence the same,
giving preference to homesteaders and
10 present occupants of the range who
own improved ranches or who nave
provided water for live stock grazed
on the public lands. The maximum
grazing fee snail be four cents an acre
and the minimum one-half cent an acre
The average rental of the two ex-
tremes would be two n ~one-quarter
cents an acre. The users of the lane
are authorized to appoint a committee
of four persons representing the diff.
erent kinds of stock, who with an of,
ficer appointed by the secretary of ag
r%iculture. in charge of the grazing dis
trict, shall constitute an executive com
mittee who shall determine whether
such grazing permits shall be by the
acre or on the per capita basis, and
whether tn grange shall be by iudividu
al or community allotments. Indeed.
this executive committee would virtu
ally have control of the range If the
users of the land fail to appoint such
Z committee, the president of the Unit.
ed States may appoint such committee,
Gprortioned, however, among the
ers of the different kinds of live stock
in a grazing district.
That the lands in a grazing district
shall be subject at all times to home
stead entry, II to entry selection and
disposal under all public land laws now
existing or tina. may hereafter be
enacted, but the grazing permit will
not be affected until the end of the
current annual grazing period except
as to the land actually entered or ap-
propriated. 1t is expressly provided
that nothing in the act shall be con
SuuSu " prevent BONA hue settlers
or residents from grazing their stock
Used for domestic purposes on the pub
lie lands affected thereby.
In addition to these provisions. the
rights of settlers, prospectors and min
ers TO enter upon such grazing dis.
tricts are broad and well defined. They
are not restricted in any particular.
and the public lands will be as open
to them as they are today.
"All net moneys received from each
grazing district are to be paid into the
state treasury for the benefit Of
schools and pubic roads. These are
the main provisions of the proposed
bill. Interested parties should read
tie bill in its entirety. It will stand
investigation.
1t is useless to make more of a sum.
mary. The measure is short, plain and
to the point. If printed it would oc-
cupy scarcely more thar two pages of
the revised statutes of Wyoming.
III