The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-02-07
Cavanagh. . Forest . Ranger
By HAMLIN GARLAND


I, look OF surprise and pleasure at once
| bit his face.
| Gregg was the greedy west checked
and restrained by the law. Every
man in the room knew that he was a
| bitter opponent Of the forest service
and that be had it in" for the ranger
and some OF them knew that be was
| throwing more sheep into the forest
than his permits allowed and that a
clash with Redfeld was sure to come
| 1t was just like the burly old Irish
man to go straight to the table where
his adversary sat.
Virginia's eyes fell before the g1ze
of these two men. for they had none
of the shyness and none of the indirec-
ton of the ruder men she had met.
Redfield did not soften his words on
Gregg's account. On the contrary. he
made them still more cutting and to
the line.
1.-The mere fact that 1 live near the
open range or q national forest does
not give me any rights In the range or
forest" he was saying as Gregg took
his seat. II enjoy the privilege of
these government grazing grounds.
and l ought to be perfectly willing to
pay the fee. These forests are the
PROPERTY Of the whole nation. They
are public lands and should yield a
revenue to the whole nation. 1t is
silly to expect the government to 60
on enriching few of us stockmen at
the expense of others. 1 see this. and
accept the change"
"After you've got rich at It." said
Gregg.
"well. haven't your" retorted Red
field. "Are you so greedy that nothing
will stop you."
Gregg growled out: 'T'm not letting
any of my rights slip. I'll have your
head. Mr.. Supervisor. I'll carry my
fight to the secretary"
Every WELL" returned Redfeld.
'carry 1t to the president if you wish.
I simply repeat that your sheep must
correspond to your permit. and if you
don't send up and remove the extra
number will do it myself. don't
make the rules Of the department. My
Job is to carry them out"
BY this time every person In the
room was tense with interest. They
all knew Gregg and his imperious
methods. Some of the cattiemen in the
room had suffered from his greed. and
while they were not partisans of the
supervisor. they were glad to see him
face his opponent fearlessly.
Lie delivered a parting blow: "Bull-
frog. you and me are old timers. We're
on the losing side We belong to the
good old days when the Fork was a
mans town and to be shot up once
week kept us in news. But them
times are past. You can't run the
range that way any more. Why. man.
you'll have to buy and fence your own
pasture in few years more or else
pay rent same as / do. You stock men
kick like steers over paying a few old
cents head for Ave months range:
you'll be mighty glad to pay dollar
one OF these days. Take your medicine
THAT'S my advice" And she went
back to her cash drawer.
Redfield's voice was cuttingly con-
temptuous as he said quite calmly:
You're all kinds of asses. you sheep
men. You ought to pay the fee for
your cattle with secret JOY. So long
as you can get your stock pastured
land in effect guarded by the govern
ment from June to November for 20
cents or even so cents per head you're
in luck. Mrs. Wetherford is right
We've all been educated in a bad
school. Uncle Sam has been too lazy
to keep any supervision over his pub.
lie lands. He's permitted us grass pt-
rates to fight and lynch and burn one
another on the high range ito which
| neither Of us had any right. holding
back the real user OF the land--the
farmer.
Gregg was sflenced. but not con-
vinced. ITS long lane that has no
turn" he burst out. "You think you're
the whole United States army! Who
gives you all the authority?"
Congress and the president"
"There's nothing In that bill to war
rant these petty tyrannies of yours
What you call tryannies / call de-
Tending the public domain" replied
Redf1eid. "If had my way I'd give
my rangers the power OF the Canadian
mounted police. Is there any other
state in this nation where the roping