Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-02-05

were all pensioners on Uncle sam ana
lighting to keep the other fellow or
from having u share OF his bounty II
was all wasteful, half savage. We
didn't want settlement; we didn't want
law; we didn't want state. We want
ed free range We were line OF pl.
rates from beginning to end, and we're
not wholly reformed yet"
Some one at the table accused Red
field Of being more OF town site
boomer than cattleman,
He was quite unmoved by this charge.
"The town site boomer at least believes
In progress. lie does not so so far as
10 shut out settlement don't care
to have my children live the lie I've
lived Besides, what right have we to
stand IN the way OF a community's
Rrowth7 Suppose the new life Is less
picturesque than the old We don't
Ike 10 leave behind us the pleasures
and sports Of boyhood, but we grow
lp nevertheless. I'm far more loyal
to the state as forest supervisor than
| was when | was riding with the cat
tlemcn to scare up the nester.'
At this moment Sam Gregg entered
the room, followed by a young man In
an English riding suit Seeing that
1.-THE star boarder table offered a cou-
pie Of seats. they pointed that way.
Sam was plainly in warllke frame Of
mind and slammed his sombroro on lts
nail with the action Of man beating
an adversary.
THAT IL Sam Gregg and his son Joe.
Used to be ranch cattleman, now one
of our biggest sheepmen,' Cavanagh
explained. Hes bucking the cauIe-
men now"
Lee Virginia studied young Gregg
With interest, for his dress was that Of
IL man to whom money came easy, aud
bis face was handsome, though rather
fat and sullen. In truth, he had been
brought into the room by his father to
see "Lize Wetherford's girl" and his
eyes at once sought and found her A
look Of surprise and pleasure at once
lit 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 he had II in" for the ranger,
and some OF them knew that he was
throwing more sheep into the forest
than his permits allowed and that a
clash with Redfield was sure to come.
1t was Just like the bwly old Irish
man to go straight to the table where
his adversary sat.
Virglnia's eyes fell before the gBZe
Of these two men, for they had none
Of the shyness and none Of the lndlrec-
tlon OF the ruder men she had met.
Redaeld did not soften his words on
Gregg's account. on the contrary, be
made them still more cutting and to
the line.
"The mere fact that live near the
open range or national forest does
not give me any rights in the range or
forest" he was saying as Gregg took
his seat 81 enjoy the privilege Of
these government grazing grounds,
and 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. II Is
silly to expect the government to 90
on enrichng few OF us stockmen at
the expense Of others. 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 growed out: "lm not letting
any Of my rights slip, III have your
head, Mr.. Supervisor. III carry my
fight to the secretary"
every we'll" returned Redhcld
Garry It to the president IF you wish
I simply repeat that your sheep must
correspond TO your permit, and II you
don't send up and remove the extrO
number I will do II 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 impcrlou'
methods. Some OF the cattlemen IN the
room had suffered from bis greed, and
while they were not partlsons Of the
supervisor, they were glad TO see hin
face his opponent fearlessly,
Lie delivered parting blow: Bull
frog, you and me are old timers. We're
on the losing side. We belong TO III,
good old days when the Fork was .
mans town and TO bo shot up once
a week kept us IN news. But then
times are past You can't run IN,
range that way any more, Why, man
you'll have TO buy and fence your owr
pasture in few years more or els,
pay rent same as do. You stockmcr
kick like steers over paying a few old
cents a head for nve months range
youll be mighty glad to pay a dollal
one Of these days, Take your medlcln,
that's my advice" And she wen
back to her cash drawer.
Rednelds voice wng cuttlnaly con