Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1908-10-08

board. Mr.. Christy's paper came just
previous to the adjournment Of the
convention ana was IN part as follows:
Being authorized to present to this
convention the views of the Live
Stock Sanitary Board of America, of
which l have the honor to be a mem
ber, in relation to what we believe
to be questions directly affecting the
welfare of the live stock industry Of
the southwest and indirectly AFFECT
ing all other business interests OF the
same region, / desire to express as
briefly as possible the attitude of our
board touching the question of fed
eral regulation of grazing on the
public domain, and one or two 9TH
CT questions on which IL seems to
me, this convention might deem II
of sufficient Importance to advocate
a policy.
Our territorial laws provide for a
comprehensive system of inspection
OF all live stock shipped and slaugh-
tered. and afford as high degree of
systematic protection TO those engag
ed in grazing as can be accomplished
by local laws. and good results are
obtained along the line of protec-
ritorisl law can not reach the Ques-
ton of protecting q range from un-
fair encroachment. nor prevent It
from being overstocked. And these
evils are above all others the most
serious from a viewpoint of public
welfare. The public welfare demands
the very highest degree Of produc-
dveness. Oyerstocking range
means the destruction of Its produc-
tive efficiency-a setback from which
1t ts kes years TO recover. Such regu-
lat.cns as might prevent this abuse
n ust be in the nature of federal
regu' alton, because the title of the
land rests in the United States. and
therefore the federal government
only can place a limit upon it's use
for grazing purposes. 1t Is most es-
sential to the future welfare of the
grazing industry that laws providing
for a wise system of regulation
should be passed at an early date.
The unrestricted use of the public
domain by all comers affords no in
centive for improvement. The pres
ent occupants do not feel disposed
to develop water for stock purposes,
nor conserve the feed, nor seed the
range to more productive grasses so
long as they are unable individually
to obtain exclusive enjoyment of the
results OF such expenditures. 1t Is
therefore desirable that every man
who is permitted to Craze stock on
the public domain. be given a lease
or grazing permit defining and limit
irg his reasonable portion; and that
ne be allowed tu fence 1t, develop
water, seed the land to better grass,
conserve the feed, or otherwise rem
der 1t more productive without fear
OF being encroached upon by others.
The range should be used, but not
abused. The man who uses 1t should
be told how many acres he shall use.
how many head he shall be allowed
to Craze on a given acre, and be Civ
en- to understand that he must i'm
prove its carrying capacity before he
will be allowed to increase the num-
ber OF head, and that If he violates
the law his grazing permit or lease
will be annulled."
Like all questions of public inter-
est, we find our citizens arrayed on
both sides of the question, some ad-
vOcating federal regulation while 9TH
ers are violently opposed to 1t. 1t
seems only fair that when a man
opposes a constructive measure, his
motive for doing so should be scru-
tiniZed and brought to light. When
policy is submitted to public opin-
ion. which offers to the individual
stock grower some exclusive rights
which he might enjoy without en-
croachment on the part OF others,
and which he would be at liberty to
improve and render more productive
and profitable. and he rejects such
an offer the question very peril
nently presents itself, WHY? why
does he not want to have law pass
ed which will afford him an oppor-
tunity to lease and improve his range
and be protected from the encroach-
ment of others? Is it not because
the same law which would protect
him from encroachment and give
him some exclusive rights which 9TH
ers must respect, would also protect
the other fellow in turn? Is it not
because he who opposes this policy
is at present appropriating more or
the public domain to his own use
than any one individual is reason
ably entitled to. and more than he
der any logical and just system or
federal regulations Is il not because
he desires TO be without restraint so
that he may lead his fiocks here ana
there over the public domain disre-
gardng the welfare of others, and
making it difficult II not impossible
for homes to be maintained in the
path OF his travel? Is il not be-
cause a system of public protection
of any kind means that his greed
and ayarice must be restricted 80
that others may live, and so that the
sum total Of the prosperity of a com
munity may not be subordinated TO
his selfish ends? Possibly this may
be too severe an arraignment Of the
motives Of those who oppose federal
regulation: but I'm order that inju--
tlce may not be done in that respect.
let him who seeks 70 prevent legs
lation 10 that end stand out in the
limeIight and tell the court how
many head Of stock he is graz