Arizona republican., 1914-02-16

Stockman, and perhaps nun-reSi- dent, can put down there beside these cattle another thousand head of stock and the resident stockman can have no recourse. He must share and share alike his losses with the in truder regardless of his improvements and his foresight.
 Besides this injustice to the incl Nldual StOckman, unrestricted graz ing has done infinitely greater harm to our country as a whole. It has resulted invariably in overstocking and overgrazing, and in destroying the best and most nutritious grasses on the ranges, thereby reducing both the quality and quantity of the re- maining forage from year to year It also makes impossible the alter nate grazing and resting of areas to insure natural seed production. and it has been directly responsible in the past, and it is no less responsi- ble today for the heavy losses of stock from starvation on the ranges. In Arizona, more than three quar- ters of a million head of cattle, to say nothing of sheep, have perished from famine in thirty years time condemn free grazing as unsafe for that one awful truth alone.
 Gentlemen, here we have the req son for the greatly lessened carry ing capacity of your ranges, and likewise the reason for the decrease in of ranges. Are you surprised that there is a shortage of beef animals, that prices for meat are high, and that we have nearly stopped exporting meat supplies, and have begun to import them? Here is the key to the whole situation. This condition has been going on for more than twenty years, and it will continue until We get some relief from congress Think of the awful losses of stock on the ranges, of the devastation unau mas come to the country. and of the wan ton waste of natural resources.
 The operation of a federal lease law similar to the Lever Bill grant ing to stockmen, both sheep and T would change completely this condi- tion. Confidence in the grazing in- dustry would be restored. The graz ing ranges throughout the west would carry far more stock than they do now. and carry them safely. and beef cattle instead of decreasing would increase in numbers. be- lieve every practical stockman here will tell you that he can carry more animals on his range if he can have something to say about it's manage ment I know he will say that his annual losses on ranges would be less if he could know six months in advance his grazing resources. I am sure his interest in his business will be infinitely greater if he can lease ranges for a period of years with the privilege of fencing them.
 During the last six years, the American National Live Stock As sOciation has devoted endless time and energy to secure the passage of federal control grazing on the unap propriated public lands. It is a com pliment to the ability and integrity of this great association that the bill which they originally adopted at their meeting in the city of Denver six years ago. and which has been before congress ever since under one name or another. was so well drawn in it's fundamental features, as also in most of it's details. as to be prac- tically unassailable, even by it's oc casional opponents. You stockmen should all get copies of this bill and study it carefully. If it meet with your approval, or if you believe that your present unsatisfactory condition will be improved by this bill write your congressman now and tell him to. get interested in it.
 Among other things, this bill pro poses to give stocllmen permission to lease and fence portions of the public range for period of ten years to encourage development and of these grazing lands. It gives preference to homesteaders and present, occupants of the range who have provided water and othe" improvements on the public lands. It guarantees to stockmen reason able pro rata value for improvements made on the land. It specifics that s100, including buildings, corrals, re- servoirs. wells, etc, have been made on a forty-acre tract, without the consent of the owner of these inn provements. It provides for a maxi mum grazing fee of four cents per acre and a minimum fee of one-half cent per acre. While this is what gets in addition value received for protection in his business It puts as far as possible the stockman's in dustry on d moderately safe basis. He isn't looking for a famine. At the same time this bill guards care fully the rights of bona fide settlers to homestead lands for agricultural purposes, and makes provision for them to graZe their domestic animals on adjacent public lands. Best of all, it secures a large amount of local government in the administration of these grazing lands. believe it pro- yides as far as can be seen in ad- vance for every other legitimate fea- ture connected with the public lands.
 It has been suggested that the min mum rate of one-half cent per acre is too much for the poorest class of grazing lands in these western states. I am free to admit that there are bodies of land in Arizona and New Mexico that under present conditions arc mi worth Ona-ha1f cent nor