Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-03-18
The Bees Letter Box
Contributions on Timely Subjects
Not HxessdinR Two hundred words
Are invited from our Readers.
A ATIsleadinR anotation.

NORTH PLATTE, Neb., March 1s.-TC
the Editor OF the Bee On March 3 you
published an article stating that Repre-
sentative Ben H. Johnson OF Kentucky
made the assertion in the house Of repre-
sentatives that a resident of Washington
whom he named had represented himself
to him ana other congressman as able,
through the knights Of Columbus, to de-
liver, for a suitable consideration, Catholic
votes in large blocks In various districts
throughout the country.
II you had published the whole Of Mr..
Johnson's speech 1t would have given a
different aspect. After making the above
assertion Mr.. Johnson said:
Mr., Speaker: l wish to say that l am
proud of being both a Catholic and a
Knight Of Columbus and emphatically
deny that this man can do anything OF the
kind the order of knights OF Co
lumbus is not political organization, but
instead, strictly fraternal and II is q re-
Election upon the Catholic church as well
as upon the order Of Knights Of Columbus
that this man can go unchAllengod and
uneXposed In his nefarious scheme. There
fore, say what do relative to him for
the purpose Of protecting this membership
as well as for the purpose OF defending
the Catholic church and the knights Of
Columbus from such characters who, for
a few dollars, bring discredit upon that
Ollie and every Knight 81 Columbus win, I
know, appreciate an exposure Of this
Catholic 'for revenue only"
The report as published was misleading
and incorporating Mr.. Johnson. II was
a gross injustice to him as we'll as to the
Knights OF Columbus and the Catholics Of
this country.
JNo. g. LEMMER,
Recorder, st. Patricks Council No. 1911
OMAHA. March Ito the Editor Of The
Bee. The great cry for the last few years
has been to open up the public lands in the
west for the farming industry
Is the west to go under the pillow and
grazing be abolished? Surely the farmer
cannot afford TO raise cattle. Ranching
and farming are two different industries
We westerners welcome the hOmeseekers
from the east, but I advise the settlers TO
go into the live stock industry on the small
scale, as It would be far more profitable
for themselves and for the west and for
the country at large. Unless they can set
places that would be profitable, however,
we are in great need for more live stock
growers
The question Of beef is still the question
all over the country. There are millions
OF acres not fit for agriculture in the
west which can be prottaby used for
grazing. What is the use to divide these
up into small sections and sell them to
settlers as agricultural land? To have a
cattle reservation is very necessary.
To have a reservation Of this kind would
prevent many losses in cattle and sheep.
Many sheep owners lost over 50 per cent
Of their flOcks during the winter Of 1903
and 1910 The cattle loss averaged 20 per
cent. This was in a great degree caused
by owners being unable to get then to
hay in severe storms. which on account OF
the government refusing to lease or sell
stock raisers such grazing lands.
To have a reservation Of this kind, 20
many leagues or so many thousand acres,
having the boundary line fenced. hay put
up here and there in the different parts
OF the reservation IN the winter, sheds Il
protect the cattle in bad weather, night
and day herding, and in this way receiv'
ing a better protection from the govern
ment II the land could be (some OF ~
reserved, know the stockmen OF the west
would be willing to pay the government
a reasonable fee for stock to Craze,
This would give 10 small stOckmen a