, 1908-03-09
JUST SUITS THE BUDGET.

The excellent leasing bill that has
been prepared by Commissioner Bal
linger of the general land office just
suits Editor Barrow of the Douglas
Budget. 1t leaves the entire matter
to the secretary of the interior, in
whose department all public land mat.
tiers ar now managed, and provides
that all land Unbiased shall still re,
main as olen public lands, as they are
now. MI. Barrow outlines and dis.
cusses the Balllnger bill as follows.
Begins to look as though the Bud.
gets views as to an equitable leasing
law We're TO be presented to congress,
after all. Commissioner Ballinger, Of
the general land office, has oraften
a bin which he viii submit to the
secretary of the interior for approval
which more near.y approaches the
platform on which We stand than any.
thing heretofore presented. 1t pro
vides that all vacant non-mineral, non.
irrigable public lands not classified as
coal or timber lands and not produc.
ing wild hay in merchantable quaint
ties, shall be classified as pasture lands,
and If adjacent to patented lands un.
I ~ WV may ~ any,
grazing blocks not exceeding 1880
acres in compact form and sold to the
owners of such cultivated lands for
SIPS per acre. Pasture lands not sub
ject to such sale snail be leased for
grazing purposes at such terms, man
ner, quantity and periods as the sec.
rotary of the interior may prescribe,
the net profits to be paid to h state
Or territories for the support of the
public schools"
The Ballinger bill could be strength
mend 1t. With the entire control Of
the public lands in a single depart.
ment, as at present, there would he
no conflict of authority. The present
machinery of government provided for
the control of the public lands could
take on the leasing of the grazing or
pasture lands without the enormous
additional expense that would be re-
quired under another and Independent
department.. In Canada the minisre:
in control of the public lands has con-
troll of the leasing as well, and it is a
big drawing card in the settlement Of
the Canadian northwest territory.
The Ballinger bib could be streng h.
ened by adding, adoption only by vote
of the people and local control of the
system. The giving of all the income
10 the states in which the money il
raised for school and road purposes
makes federal control better than
state control for the simple eason
that a man at Washington as a final
arbiter would be far more likely to
conduct the system generally with
greater equity and fairness than one
subject to local influence and personal
bias. Again. a cabinet minister is al.
most always a broader man than of
ficials elected to state offices. Local
grazing boards should pass upon all
minor matters, in fact upon all mat
tiers except in Ease of disagreement.
when appeal should be allowed to the
secretary. These appeals would be
tecided upon their merits and not up,
n personal grounds or local preiu
lice. AS a matter OF fact, the secrc-
tary's office would have little more to
do with the real management under
such a system than the supreme court
of the United States now has to do
with the administration of the laws OF
the several state. 1t would only act
in case of appeal.
Now, if Editor Barrow will get Dr.,
Wilson, President Deli elder, Senator
Sullivan. Governor Brooks n the 9th
er opponents of any kind of federal
control to sanction this bill of Mr..
Ballinger's, it will be a long stride to-
ward the settlement of the entire
question. lie could be made the basis
OF a very happy compromise.