The Holbrook news., 1914-02-27
DISPOSITION OF
 GRAZING LANDS

--~ the proposed legislation respect ing a grazing homestead and the bill to lease grazing areas. In Arizona there yet remains 39.- 525, 195 acres of unappropriated and unreserved public land, the major portion of which is now used for grazing purposes. The following figures, taken from the Hast census, will give you an idea of the importance of our live stock industry:
 Number of cattle. 824, 929, val ued at $14, 624, 7O8; sheep, 1,226, : 733, valued at $4, 400. 514; goats. 546. .617, value $555. 327.
 Legislation affecting the pub lie domain is of immediate con- cern to the government of the state of Arizona, because the state land commission is now in process of selecting the lands that were granted by the enab- ling act admitting Arizona to statehood. These grants amount to more than 5,000,00 acres. and the state authorities are of course anxious to secure the best lands for the schools and other state institutions for whose benefit the donations were made by the Fed eral government. The state has further interest in these bills, because almost one-half of the area of Arizona is included in forest reserves and Indian reser- vations, all of which are untaxed. It is important therefore, that the settlement of the remaining public lands be promoted in every legitimate way, in order that there may be more taxable prop erty to assist in carrying the bur den of state and county govern ment.
 The organized cattle growers of Arizona are in favor of a lease law. but l have received a num- Der of letters from small stock men who fear that they will be forced out of business under such system. The wool growers of my state as rule, have not been in favor of regulating grazing on the public domain unless an ar rangement is made whereby they may obtain permits to drive their fiocks off the mountains into cer- tain areas of lower altitude dur ing the winter season.
 And last but not least. this leg islatlon will affect a great num- Der of citizens of my state who have been enduring all the hard ships incident to the struggle to obtain title to their entries un- der the homestead and desert land laws. Most of them would welcome the opportunity to se- cure an additional area, which would be fenced, so as to serve as pasture for their live stock. Above all things Arizona needs a larger farming and stock-raising population, and 1 believe that it is within the power of this com mittee to report legislation that will materially benefit my state in this respect. Great care, how ever, must be exercised to see that no injustice is done either to present or future homestead entrymen or to the small stock men. It is better to have no leg islation at all than to injure a class of people who need our pro- lection most. A comparatively few men should not be permitted to control very large grazing areas.
 I am glad that the committee has decided to postpone consid- eration of these measures until March 8. because this will give me an opportunity to acquaint my constituents with the nature of these bills. I hope to hear from a number of them, and 1 shall present to the committee any definite suggestions that l