Arizona republican., 1914-02-25
DELEGATION OF ADVOCATES
(Continued from Page One.)

who prepared definite bill. This bill was first introduced in consress under the name of the Burkett bill, was slightly amended under the name of the Curtis bill, was later intro duced in the last congress by Rep lesentative Lever, and has been viz orously brought to the front in the present congress under the name of the Kent bill through the active sup poIt of Representative Wm. Kent of California, who probably has a bet ter practical knowledge of the needs of the measure from actual eXper- fence on the range, than any other
 man in the house.
 The principle of the present bill l is so sound and the measure Is so ! clearly drawn that it has thus far successfully withstood the attacks of
 the opponents of range regulation. 1 The following quotation from a re- cent address by Prof. J. J. Thornber of the University of Arizona, who
 has made d careful study of thIs
 measure, well illustrates the strength | of the Kent bill: "The American Ma l tional Livestock association has de-
 voted much time and energy during | tte past five years endeavoring to
 secure the passage of a bill by con- gress regulating grazing through fed eral control on the unappropriated public lands. It is a compliment to
 the ability and integrity of this great | association that the bill which they adopted at their Denver meeting in 1 January. 1908, and which has beer before congress since under one name or another, was so well drawn in its fundamental features as well as ir most of its details as to have been practically unassailable, even by oc-
 casional outspoken interested oppo-
 nents. Among other things this bil
 proposes to give to stockmen per
 mission to lease and fence portion. of the range for a definite time tC
 encourage development and improve
 ment of the grazing lands. It seek:
 thereby, to put the stock business or
 a moderately safe basis. At the sam,
 time 1t guards carefully the rights O
 bona fide settlers to homestead land
 for agricultural purposes, and makes
 provision for them to graze their do
 nestle animals on adjacent publi lands.'
 Dwight B. Heard, who leaves to
 night with the other representative
 of the stockmen. for Washington
 the proposed hearing:
 The Kent bill-what is popularl. known as leasing law-is thor
 oughly constructive measure and tn | result of nearly ten years carefu
 investigation by men who understan , existing range conditions. I believ that generally both sheep and cattl
 rived when the present conditions O Wasteful misuse of the public graz f ing lands must cease as under tn , lack of system or regulation the car rying capacity of these lands i steadily decreasing, the future of tn , stock raising industry is endangere l and no incentive is given the stock , men under present conditions, to de 5 velop the ranges, perpetuate tn grasses or improve the water supply The Kent bill aims, by a reasonabl , system of government control, to re } medy the present conditions of miS use; 1t thoroughly and definitel } protects the rights of homesteader. recognizes the rights of the presen
 occupants of the range; authorize
 definite fencing and provides for
 large measure of local control by tn srockmen who are the actual user ) of the range It. in my judgmen
 if put in operatio ion will make of in