, 1908-02-13

tbDruary lltn, l9OS.
Editor Tribune.
Permit me to reply briefly TO Mr.
Chaplin's write-up as reproduced from
The Laramie Republican in yester
days Tribune.
| will pass yer without comment
the personal slurs and innuendos con
tanned therein, and enieayor TO anal
z this new straw man, his latest
false hypothesis, upon which he bases
his sarcastic argument in favor of gov.
eminent leasing.
The underlying principle governing
the use and final disposition of state
and government lands, is today and
always has been entirely dissimilar.
State lands were granted for the sole
object of producing reYenue there,
from, and the state disposes of its
lands by gale or lease with the fixed
purpose of deriving the greatest pos.
sible revenue; while the government
seeks 10 derive no surplus revenue
from the disposition Of public lands
but only TO encourage settlement and
use. In other words, government lands
are simply held In trust and their free
Use mas never been denied or even
questioned, until recently.
The state owns four million acres of
land, from which 1t seeks to derive
the greatest possible revenue for the
benefit Of its schools and public insti,
buttons. The cost of supervision and
management is about 10 per. cent OF
the revenue, and the other 80 per cent
or over 500, GOO per annum, goes TO
aid public institutions and reduces tax.
alton.
Mr.. Chaplin argues that because the
live stock companies in which | am a
stockholder lease some of these state
lands, as the law permits. l am not
consistent in opposing federal leasing.
What a senseless argument! The com.
panies in which | am interested nave
less than three acres of state land
leased for every acre which they own
and upon which they pay taxes. Sup
pose the government should pass a law
tomorrow authorizing the leasing of
twenty acres of open range for every
scre cultivated, would he argue that l
should not accept any of it because ]
am opposed to such a law?
He says, From the standpoint OF
the individual lessee, there is abso-
lutely no difference between state gov
eminent lands and United States gov
ernment lands, the individual is in,
tSiSotSu oLly III uiNluS inc eNCluSlNt
use thereof. The right to say, This
Is my possession, and you must keep
OF right to fence and control at will.
1t is IF no Importance to him wheth-
er the money goes to the state through
the state land Goard or through the
United States government"
oh, yes it is, for through the state
he sees 80 per cent of it come back,
and through the government only 10
per cent; through the state he han,
dies as much stock as he pleaSes;
through the government Il federal Of
ficer regulates him out of business, and
what about the would-be settler, If ev-
cry stockman has the right 10 say,
This is my possession and you Il
Keep off?"
How about the business man and all
others, who are not actual stockmen,
and who wish to see the state grow
and deyelopr How about your own
job in the federal land officer
Mr.. Chaplin say he would like to
have me show to the people of this
state just how the labor of making
homes has progressed in the pastures
u company las leased from the
state.
Why, sir. it hasn't progressed at all.
Anyone in Natrona county will tell
you that our company has kept out
many settlers by leasing state lands.
That is why we leased them, and that
Is why We pay the state from 8 to 25
cents per acre for them, simply for
our own exclusive use and to prevent
others from getting them.
No doubt tho million and n half
acres of selected land, leased by the
state has prevented lots of settlement,
but the damage has been very slight as
compared with what 1t would be, If the
government should lease the forty mil
Lon acres of remaining open range,
thereby checking all settlement, and at
the same time, il order to improve the
grass, cut down all live stock holdings
so per cent. Our stockmen are not
Going to put their money into a losing
proposition. If our present range gets
too badly o~verstooked, they will either
cut down or buy aud improve ranches,
as they are o doing, TO meet the re-
Quirements. These matters will large
iy regulate themselves, If let alone.
and the people lest qualified to regu.
late them are the ones who have their
money invested in the business. Mr..
Chaplin asks me Ito point to clashes
that have taken place in the forest re
serves now under control"
Why, there have been literally thou.
sands of them, not personal perhaps,
because of fear Of Uncle Sans guns,
but bitter denunciation and complaints
of injustice and favoritism, of fines
arbitrarily imposed without recourse
to the courts, of annoying rules and
regulations imposed without sem
blance of law.
Lastly, Mr.. Chaplin wants me to ex.
plain my position relative to condemn.
ing certain republican papers for hon.
ostly standing by the president of the
United States, who was elected upon
the same platform that carried Wyo
ming republicans to success"
VIII Mr.. Chaplin please point out
wherein the republican platform of
either this state or nation ever favored
federal leasing or control of our public
lands? Because the president or any
other individual advocates some policy
entirely outside OF any platform, is no
a why republicans should call II
right without discussion. Personally,
had nothing to do with the resolution
referred to, but | presume it was in
serted because most of the delegates
condemn the policy of certain repub-
lean newspapers. owned and control
led by federal office holders, in con-
stantly stirring up strife and insisting
that some policy shall be looked upon
as republican doctrine before it has
been embodied in party platforms,
Lnowjng that a Subsidized pregS Is a