The Delta independent., 1911-01-06

| Hess, " see tnaC eacn animal mas
plenty to eat and eats that plenty; to
see that each calf dropped is a good
one, and to see that nothing walks off
or gets with the wild bunch. Then we
organized with these ends in view and
commenced to look about for means to
establish permanent range rights,
means to coerce every stock man to
use improved bulls with the herd and
improved means to guard and protect
our property against thieves. Fellow
stock growers, you remember it was
no light undertaking to institute those
efficient means which would result in
these desired ends. Ours was almost
an experimental task, and so far as our
ranges were concerned, We were to
pay grazing fee but knew nothing
OF the yearly guarantee of the grazing
resource to US. In its uncertain, crude
regulation, the forest service had indi-
Gated no plan of limitation on numbers
OF cattle, horses or sheep to be grazed,
or whether all were to Craze under the
same tree or not. The only intimation
we had of their plans was, that owing
to the badly abused and much depleted
condition of the range. we might all be
called upon to vacate the forest re-
serves entirely, until the forage
returned sufficiently to justify its use
In counselllng with the chief forester.
we learned that whatever our use of
the grazing resource of the reserves
might be, he desired our fullest c,oper-
alton in solving its intricate problems.
We accepted the proposition and we
today enjoy the distinction of being the
hrst association, great or small. in the
United States which entered into a CO.
operative administration of the forest
reserve ranges with the National
Bureau OF Forestry. AS we all know,
we have, by our acts. not only continu-
ously conserved the welfare of our own
Industry, but have bestowed great
credit on Delta county. We have many
times received honorable mention by
the chief fore ter of the United States.
and We should always remember, with
peculiar pride. that great tribute paid
the people of our county by Colonel
Roosevelt in his address on Conserva-
tion last summer in Denver when he
said, Il want to thank those people of
the West and of Colorado for their
support of the policy of Conservation.
would make special mention of the
people of Delta, Colorado 1t is we'll
known in all reform circles what our
attitude has been toward all industrial
progressive measures. l may say too,
it is fully as we'll known by the old
circle of graft and greed for they hate
US because Conservation, the principle
we support. thwarts their evil inten-
tons. Since we organized this associ-
alton, we have developed it into a very
large and strong local organization
Starting with about thirty members,
we have grown to a membership of
over two hundred. When we organ
ized, the most important requisite was,
as 1t Is now, to have a ma jority of the
users of any forest reserve grazing
district as members of the association.
SO as to place us in business relation
with the service. We compared our
roll OF membership with the names of
the actual users, and we found we had
the required number in only one dist
rict of both the Uncompahgre and Bat
tlement National Forests. That was in
number Three of the Battlement. We
have rapidly increased our number
: until now we enjoy business relations
IN ten districts in both preserves We
, have been compelled to increase our
executive board each year and we Rave
4 been compelled to appoint the maxi
i mum number of forest advisory men in
: order that the interests of all localities
e might be looked after with the forest
4 supervisor. So we have grown into an
e organization of wonderful influence
: not only in this community, but in the
state and nation, and especially with
t the United States forest service. Stock
t growers. our constant growth indicates
: that we have ever, in all our transac.
n tions, gone forward with an eve single
: to those prime objects Of our organiza.
, ton as well as in support of that great
e principle 30 dear to all good citizens,
Y "a square DEAL"
Now, we effected this substantial per-
manent organization-we have grown
: as indicated-but what have we &C.
complished in these five years? We
have been largely instrumental in
gradually restoring our ranges to their
: normal forage conditions. The forest
supervisors taking our advisory boards
= into their councils. cooperated in en-.
I,