The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-09-22
Special to The Tribune

|
ST, ANTHONY, Ida, Sept 21-Will
the new Idaho state land board renew
the leases given the "Big Four" sheep
men in Fremont county when they enter
upon their important duties the first Of
the coming year, or has the whirlwind
of dissatisfaction and discomfort which
has swept the country from one end to
| the other In the past few weeks put
a flea In their ear2
| Tho abuses which have arisen under
the present land board s incumbency
have grown to such proportions, espe'
clally IN this county, that on every
hand one hears the murmurs of resent
ment over the treatment accorded the
agricultural interests and this dissatis-
faction will take definite shape this fall
when hundreds of Fremont county vot.
ers will go to the polls in their respec-
tive precincts and register there their
stern disapproval of the policy of self
perpetuatlon as practiced by the now
famous Brady land board of Idaho.
For years now this notorious board
has played politics with Fremont coun-
" lands, leasing large tracts of grazing
lands to politicians, who were also in
terested in the sheep business, IN return
for the votes Of Fremont county citi
land board In matters pertaining to
grazing leases, when a lease is about to
expire, the lessees, if they desire to re.
new. and these men In Fremont gen
orally did, must present to the board a
written request at least thirty days
prior to the expiration of said lease,
This applies TO any one who is deslrous
Of leasing state lands for grazing pur-
poses or for any other purpose, we be.
lieve.
In December, 1904, a bunch of Ere.
mont county sheep kings secured leases
on large section of land in this coun.
ty from the then Gooding land board,
and this lease was renewed later by
the Brady board, notwithstanding the
protest OF thousands of citizens who de-
sired this land for agricultural purposes.
In May, 1909, j. w. Webster, a partic.
ular friend of Governor Brady and a
man who wields a powerful influence.
politically, in Fremont county, and also
big church man, applied for this re-
newal in behalf of the "Big Four
sheep interests and 1T was granted. But
this dirty piece of business was done
several months In advance of the time
that action should have been taken,
and was done for the purpose of keep
ing the smaller fry from getting a look
In ard also heading of any and all
applications made by agriculturalists
for land for home purposes. 1t is
Characteristic which has governed the
Brady land board in the majority of
their transactions and the reputation
of all but one of that notorious bunch
at the recent primary election, is proof
positive that the people all over the
state, and not alone in Fremont county,
have become thoroughly disgusted with
such unscrupulous methods And the
end is not yet. McDougal's victory over
Morrison by so small majority, is in.
dlcative of the feeling which prevailed
and we predict that his end will come
at the general election this fall, when
right thinking Republicans as we'll as
Democrats will see to it that no such
man as McDougal has proven himself
to be will be allowed to again serve the
people of this great state of ours.
be has betrayed the trust reposed in
him by the people of his state in ac
curing state lands which the law
clearly states he shall not acquire in
any manner whatsoever, while holding
Office. He, according to his own state
ment, is the owner Of land In the King
Hill project. We recall to mind little
circumstance which happened while we
were at Boise some weeks ago. AT this
particular time there were gathered in