Gilpin observer., 1908-01-30
CA1TLEMEN
vS.SHEEPMEN
FORESTER PiNcHoT DISCUSSES
GOVERNMENT CONTROL OF
THE RANGE.
HELPS SMALL OWNER
MORE cATTLEMEN THAN SHEEP
MEN ARE BONA FlDE
HOMEMAKERs.

HoMEMAkERs.
Denver.-Following is the letter of
Chief Forester Clifford Pinchot, read
before the convention Of the American
National Live Stock Association, it be-
ing addressed to President Murdo Mac
kenzie:
my Dear Mr.. Mackenzie-It is
matter Of the most sincere regret to me
that I eau not be at the Denver meet
ing. Nothing less than such serious
illness as my father has been going
through would have been sufficient to
keep me away.
"You know my position about gov
ernment control Of the range so thor
oughly that do not need to restate it
at length. There are, however, certain
points l should like to repeat. First of
all, it seems to me that this question
is now up to the men Of the West and
in their hands. Whatever the West de-
cides about 1t should be done and will
be done. Secondly, whatever bill is
passed for government control of the
grazing lands should provide, without
fail, for the gradual extension of such
control, district by district, and the de-
6ires OF the stock raisers in 1t. General
application OF law to all parts Of the
West at once would be disastrous. 1t
would be equally disastrous IL the sec.
retary Of agriculture, under the law,
should be deprived Of the right to
make specific regulations, adapted to
the needs and desires of the stock.
men of each district SO that whatever
form OF contract Is best for the stock.
men in each district can be secured
with certainty and effectiveness, al
though unsuited for any other district.
Third, the secretary Of agriculture
should have the right to issue permits
either per acre or per capita, in each
district, as the stockmen Of that
district may desire. There has
been much misunderstanding on
this point and l want to make ii
clear. Fourth, while l should greatly
prefer not to see a minimum and max
imum grazing fee stated in the law.
nevertheless, II the stockmen prefer
that 1t should be there, / should
acQuiesce, and l believe that the limits
should be between " cent and cents
per acre, on an acreage basis, or 80
cents to 81 per head on cattle, and 10
cents to 30 cents per head on sheep on
q per capita basis for the year long
permits, with proportionate reductions
for shorter periods.
"Onc other matter OF real Importance
demands attention at this time. While
certain of the more public spirited own
ers OF sheep are In favor of government
control CT the range. 1t Is well known
that the majority Of the sheep men are
against 1t. The reason is obvious.
Sheep are herded. cattle are not. With
out some form OF government control
range adapted to both cattle and sheep
must necessarily fall into the control
of the sheepmen, unless violent meth
ods are used by the cattlemen to keep
them out. The sheepmen represent on
the average large owners. while the
cattlcmen on the average are small
owners. Therefore, control OF the
range by the sheepmen means the loss
OF the range by the small owners. and
its control by the large men, which is
directly opposed both to square deal
ing and to the whole public land pol
icy of President Roosevelt and his ad-
ministration. 1t is sometimes claimed
that more men are employed In taking
care Of, say 100000 worth OF sheep,
than are employed in caring for like
value of cattle, and that consequently
the sheep are Of more benefit to the
country than the cattle. This argu-
ment Is fallacious. The men who are
employed In caring for the cattle, as a
rule. are owners OF the cattle and act
ual home-makers. The men employed
in caring for the sheep are hired men
in the majority OF cases, and many are
not home-makers at all. There are ex-
ceptions tn this statement, but 1t Is
true for the West as a whole. I want
TO make 1t very clear that the fight for
control Of the range by the sheepmen
is a fight of the large man against
the small man; OF the rich man with
hired help against the small man who
owns his own stock AS the President
stated in his Keokuk speech, his ad-
ministration Is for the man who
pitches his hay himself
"The records show that Of the per-
mits issued for grazing on the national
forests for thepast year. 1858 were to
owners Of less than 40 head OF cattle; (;
and 1924 from Al to 100 head; 1851
from 101 to 200 head, and 1859 for
over 200 head. And of the permits is.
sued for grazing sheep and goata, 1874
were for less than 1000, 1.459 from
1901 to $500. 41s from 2.501 to 1000,
and 306 fer over 1000 head.
''It Is one Of the fundamental princi.
pies of the forest service that It would
rather help the small man make liv.
ing for his family than help the big
man make profit This same prin-
ciple should be written clearly in any
bill for government control of the open
range.
During the past year the advisory
boards OF many local live stock assoct
ations have co-operated with the Off.
GERS of the forest service in the adjust
mont Of grazing matters. The results
have been exceedingly satisfactory, and
much good has been accomplished.