Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1909-01-27
ARIZONA CATTLEMEN
ENDORSES THE new
LAND LAW
Federal Control Iof Ranges
Upheld by Heard. who
Gives Many
Reasons.
STOCKNtN HOLD
BUSY SESSIONS TODAY
Convention at Los Angeles Has
Many Interesting Topics
TO Discuss Be-
fore II Ad-
j0urnS.

Los Angeles, Jan. 2I-The second
days session of the American Nation
al Livestock association convention
was a busy one. The delegates dis
cLssed number of interesting
topics, but probably the best address
OF the day was that of Dwight b.
Heard, president of the Arizona
stock Growers association. who en-
dorsed federal control of the ranges.
He said:
The question of federal control of
the public grazing lands is necessarily
/ one Of vital interests to stockmen.
and in the wise administration of
these public grazing lands So as to
obtain from them the best beneficial
use. lies the prosperity of the stock
men, and his prosperity means much
In the best development of the west.
Owing to the bigness of this uues-
ton and the varying conditions exist
ing throughout the west. it is very
natural that there should oe very rad
zeal differences of opinion as to the
wisdom of the policy of federal con-
troll. 1t seems to me, however, that
this mattSr should be discussed with
the utmost frankness and that no ef-
| fort should be made to obscure the
real issue by throwing corral dust
! in the air" as one speaker at the
Denver land convention very tersely
put IT,
1t is pretty generally admitted by
| stockmen that the present range con-
ditions throughout the west involving
| certain rights and resulting in almost
| constant conflict friction and mlsun-
derstanding, sometimes resulting in
bloodshed, are exceedingly unsatifac-
tory and that a prompt remedy is
needed.
our organization, in its last annual
convention, at Denver, prepared
definite measure, and adopted the
same by a decisive vote of 396k to
32l2. This bin has met with the an
proval of the department of agricul-
turc, which is given charge Of its ad-
ministration, ana has been presented
to Congress under the title of the
| Curtis-Scottt bill, exactly as prepared
and approved by this organization.
do not believe that this bin IS
perfect measure, but / do believe that
| it is a definite step in the right di- !
rection, and If passed by Congress, as
ii put in operation in some section of
the country where the conditions are !
favorable for It's practical adm.nstra-
ton If found defective, IT could then
Oe easily remedied by later legisla-
tiOn.
The large majority OF the cattle
men of Arizona, in my Judgment be-
lieye thta this definite measure should
be given fair trial Within Arizona
we have 2,T59,190 acres of national
forests, an area greater than the COM
bined areas of the states of New
Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Rhode !
Island. Within these Arizona ma
tional forests are pastured los 900 !
head Of cattle, 279,0O0 head Of sheep |
end $500 head of horses. on the |
grazing lands within the forests in
Arizona grazing is regulated and an
nual feeding permits are issued at
80 cents per head for cattle, 12 cents
per head for sheep and 40 cents per
head for horses. On the public graz
Ing lands without the forests grazing
is free, yet so definite are the advan- !
tages Of protected grazing within the
forests that the cattlemen Of Arizona
both large and small, are practically
a unit in support of placing the puo-
lie grazing lands under federal control
similar to that exercised in the ma
ti0nal forests.
The particular reasons which have
induced the cattlemen of Arizona to
50 strongly endorse this bill are the
following:
First-They realize that the admin
lstration Of this bill will be under the
control of the United States forestry
service. whose operation in Arizona
has been exceedingly efficient, prac-
tical and to the best interests of the
territory at large.
Second-The marked practical sue
cess of the similar policy controlling
grazing on the national forests within
Arizona.
Third-The opportunity to estab-
lish the stock raising business upon a
definite and permanent basis instead
Of the present uncertain one, this per-
manance being assured by the preven-
ton under the provisions Of the bill
Of OvergIazing, and the resultant per-
petuation Of the natural range
grasses.
Fourth. The encouragement through
the permanent conditions created, to