The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1910-09-01

lands and national forests. They have
met and overcome the unrelenting OPP
position Of some of the most influential
stockmen of the state; they have won
because they have been right. I want
to express also my appreciation of the
work Of the American National Livestock
association. 1t has been one Of the really
important forces working toward eff
fective railway regulation, while its
support OF the policy OF federal range
control has given 1t a large place in
national affairs. AS an old-time stock
man / realize that the Iresent order
Of things on the open range cannot
continue. and that the sure way to pro-
tect the range itself, c.event the in
crease of big outfits, promote the equit-
able use OF the grazing lands, and fos-
ter genuine homestead settlement, is to
extend over the open range a system
Of range control somewhat similar to
that now in effect on the national for
eSts.
Whatever system OF range control
may be adopted in detail, there arc two
things 1t must not do. 1t must not
handicap or exclude the small man by
requiring him to spend more money
for fences than he can afford, and 1t
must leave every acre that can be set
tied by bona-fide homesteaders freely
open to such settlement.
| do not believe that a single acre OF
our public lands should hereafter pass
into private ownership except for the
single purpose of homestead settle
ment, and / know that the stockmen
stand with ne in their desire to re-
move every obstacle from the path Of
the genuine honesteader, and to put
every possible obstacle in the pathway
OF the man who tries TO get public
lands by Misrepresentation or fraud.
This Is absolutely necessary on the
agricultural lands. 1t is at least equal
ly necessary on the mineral lands. 1t
would be a calamity, whose baleful ef-
feet on the average citizen we can
scarcely eXaggerate, II the great stores
of coal and other mineral fuels still
owned by the people in Alaska and
elsewhere hould pass into the unregu-
lated ownership Of m%onopolistic cor
porations.
The Forest Service.
You progressive stockmen have stood
heartily by the conservation move
ment, and with you have stood many
others throughout the West, to whom
large credit is due, such as the lum-
bermen in Washington and Oregon, the
~irrigators in California, and the sup
porters of the country life movement
in and around Spokane. I want to
make my acknowledgements in partic-
ular to the Colorado Forestry associa-
ton, which has supported the forest
work of the government with such un-
selfish zeal. The forest service has
enemies because It is effective. Some
OF it's best work has been met by the
bltterest opposition. For Xampl II
has done a real service by blocking
the road against the grabbers of water
power, and again by standing like a
rock against the demands Of bogus
mining concerns to exploit the national
forests. l have always done my best
to help the genuine miner. I believe
that one OF the first duties OF the gov
is to encourage honest mining
on the public lands. But it Is equally
important TO enforce the law firmly
against that particularly dangerous
class which makes it's living off the
public through fraudulent mining
schemes.
Much OF the opposition to the forest
service, like much of the opposition to
conservation takes the form of direct
Misrepresentation. For example, the
cry Is often heard that the national
forests inclose great areas of agriCal-
tural land which are thus put beyond
the reach of settlement. This state
ment seems plausible only till the facts
are known. In the first place,
has specially provided that whatever
agricultural land there may be in any
national forest shall be open. under
proper safeguards, to homestead set
Element. And in the second place, when
the opponents of conservation are ask
ed to point out the great stretches OF
inclosed agricultural land on the
ground and in the presence of experts,
instead Of in speeches in a hall, they
fail.
Reclamation Service.
| Thu National Irrirat{on Cpppraaa Ia
to hold a session in the city of Pueblo
late in September. 1 am keenly sorry
that l could not nave accepted the
invitation to be present. 1 must, how
ever, be in the East at that tins. But
since I cannot be present then to ex-
press my keen, long-held, and deep-felt
interest in the reclamation OF arid
lands by the federal government, 1
desire to do so now. There is no more
effective instrument for the making of
homes than the United States Recla-
nation Service, and no government bu-
reau while I was President had reaoh-
ed a higher standard Of efficiency, in
tegTity and devotion to the public well
fare.
Like the Forest Service, the Reclama-
ton Service has clashed with certain pri-
Vate interests, and has had to pay the
penalty c. its service to the public in the
form of bitter opposition from those with
whose profit II has interfered. h cry
has been raised against IL that the gov
eminent must not do for its citizens at a
less cost what private interests are ready
to make them pay for at higher prices.
Now, 1 believe fully in the private de-
velopment of irrigation projects which the
government cannot undertake. There Is
a large and legitimate field for such work.
But the essential thing is to make homes
on the lands, not TO enable individuals to
profit from tie necessities Of the men who
make those homes. There is no more
warrant for objecting to the reclamation
of arid lands by the government than
there would be to protest against the gov
eminent for patentins agricultural lands
directly to the actual settler, instead OF
through a m~iddleman, who could make q
profit from the transaction. The men who
assert themselves at the cost Of the COM
munity instead Of by service to the COM
munity we have always had with us, and
doubtless we always shall. But there is
no reason why we should yield to them.
The Reclamation Service has not done so,
and that is the chief reason for the at
tacks upon II.
/ don't think that there is one among
you who Is a better and more thorough
going westerner than I am. There has
been no support given to the conserva-
ton policies 30 welcome as that which
came from the west, and none in the
vveat marc ueic0ma than that which 70 m