The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1908-03-21

Peter G. Johnston, who recently
returned from a trip to Washington
and Boston, gives the following re-
port of the object and result of his
visit:
Hon. Fred w. Gooding, as pres
ident of the National Wool Grow
ers, Association, and l.. l.. Ormsby
of Boise. and myself, as delegates
from the Idaho Wool Growers Asso-
citation went to Washington to oppose
the passage of the Burkett Bill and
secure, if possible, the passage OF
an amendment to the present TWEEN
weight hour law, providing for
minimum speed limit of sixteen
miles per hour on all trains of live
| stock, consisting of ten cars or more.
"The main features of the Bur-
kett Land Leasing Bill are: That
| the public domain may be leased
| for a period of ten years, with the
option to fence it. Homesteaders
are permitted in theory to settle but
in actual practice would be unable
| to do so for the following reasons:
The homesteader may go within the
leased pasture and take the land for
agricultural purposes, but the graz
ing privileges belong to the party
who may have it leased, who has
claim upon all the land except the
homestead so far as grazing is con-
cerned. Under such conditions as
these the homestead would be value
less if the party were so far from the
railroad that he could not profitably
haul his agricultural products to the
IN tN
, feed his products to his livestock and
, drive the stock to the market This
could not be accomplished without
the use of some of the government
e ground in addition to his own claim.
e "The Burkett Bill, If passed, would
q in my Judgment, be blow to the
settlement and development of the
west and particularly to the State of
Idaho. This state, realizing the value
of the homestead pioneer and the
I necessity for his protection, passed
= law mnay years ago which gives
: the bona fide settler the exclusive
use of the public range for a dis
lance of two miles from his home
This law is known as the 1.-TWO
= mile Limit Law" It's validity has
been listed in the supreme courts OF
the State and the nation and has
v been fully maintained. True, at the
present time, the distance of two
N miles is excessive and out of proper
IS ton with the area of government ant
e unappropriated, yet the attempt tt
n reduce the distance so that it would
- be more in keeping with the presen
area of land not taken resulted IL
failure at the last session of the Idah'
legislature.
u Referring again to the Burket
III Bill it was endorsed by the Ameri
he can National Live Stock Association
,t which was dominated by the large
cattle interests of this country, tn
g State of Texas being largely repre-
i'd scented and therefore largely respor
es sible for the favorable report of tn
d. association on this BILL notwithstant
ing that state has no public land bt
longing to the government. On tn
"a other hand, the National Wool Grow
- ers Association assembled at Helen,
u Mont, in January last, unanimous
is opposed and condemned the bill.
ed my Judgment, if a stockman secure
no a lease on a tract of land for te
years and he had the land fence
he his invitation to the homesteader
ng locate within the enclosure would
lb- of a chilly character, and could
nv read by the latter with closed ey
and in the dark of the moon.
During our visit to WashingtC
We obtained a hearing on the 81
raj teen mile per hour speed minimu
to- amendment, which was introduc
lde in the senate and in the house shol
,,a ly after our arrival. The amen
ment was referred to the senate col
re- mittee on interstate and foreign col
IAN merce. We also had an interview wi
hin President Roosevelt, during viii
tba this amendment was thoroly discu:
ed, the president being heartily
wv favor of its passage, and promisi
us that he would do all he could
help it along. We also received t
VS. hearty support of the Honorable s.
day rotary of Agriculture, James WilsC
,ds "Mr. Fred w. Gooding had arraI
~, ed meeting with tho Americ
~ Wooden Manufacturers in Boston
lar on account of a severe attack Of
,me phoid fever, which confined him
the the hospital, he was unable to attel
ntv but he arranged for Dr.. M. Wills
vice-president of the National w
Try Growers, Mr.. L. l.. Ormsby and I
r a self to keep the appointment.
ing met with a considerable number
,usa the leading American wooden ma
facturers and discussed our nut
on interests. They submitted to u:
great many complaints regarding