The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1916-02-11
BY f. G. Bowen, Idaho Falls, Idaho,
Secretary Bingham County Grazing
Association. Delivered at the Ida
no Technical Institute, Farmer and
Housekeepers Week, Pocatello,
Idaho, February 3, 1916.

The subject assigned to me is one
that affects not only the livestock in
terests of southern Idaho, but each
and every one of its citizens.
The livestock industry gives the
farmer market for his hay, grain
and rent for his pastures; makes
business for the merchants and bank
ers and has material effect upon
the high cost of living.
Now as to the problems confront
ing this great industry, which brings
hundreds of thousands of dollars in
to our state annually:
First and foremost is the question
OF summer range, which is annually
growing smaller and restricting the
industry. We have, up to the pres
ent time, been treated very we'll by
both the state and federal govern
ments with the national forest re-
serves and state land leases. The
Soda Springs Grazing association, op-
Grating in Bonneville, Bingham and
Bannock counties, have leased from
the state of Idaho $4,000 acres of
grazing lands for which they pay
$4,000 annually and upon which
there are grazed $4,000 head Of
sheep and 1900 head of cattle and
there are grazed on the Caribou Ma
tional forest 285, 200 head Of sheep
and $4,000 head Of cattle annually.
This statement, on its face, would
seem to indicate that the livestock
interests are well cared for for sum-
mer grazing; such, however, is not
the case, for the reason that sur
rounding the forest reserve and state
leases there is quantity of open
government land which is suitable
for grazing only. However, farmers
are filing on this land and harassing
the stockmen, making it more diff
cult year by year for the stockmen
to exist.
If the settler could in any possible
manner, make a home and living
on this land, the stockman would be
the last person in the world to OBJ
ject to him doing so-on the contrary
would lend every assistance in his
power, but it is known fact that
rs per cent of the settlers in and
about the leased lands are suffering
for the common necessities of life
and were it not for the assistance
received from the stockmen, could
not exist.
The solution of this problem to my
mind, is the segregation of these
lands by the state and federal gov
ernments, passing such legislation as
may be necessary to do so and de-
clare lands to be grazing lands for
all time, or at least from 20 to SO
years and lease them to the stock
men at reasonable rental per AMI
mum, and to this end we should all
use our best efforts.
There need be no fear of leasing
these lands to the stockmen on the
ground that lands deterioate in value.
as we have demonstrated on our
lease in the past five years that the
stockmen handle the range which
they control in such a manner that
the feed gets better year after year,
there being so per cent more feed
on our lease last year than when we |
secured it five years ago. This is
done by keeping the stock off at GER
tain times, giving flowers and grass !
an opportunity to go to seed and
scatter, making more and more plant
life year by year.
Unless conditions are changed so
that the stockmen can be assured
that they can remain in business for
at least 20 years, they will gradually
be forced out of business, the result
OF which will be far-reaching indeed.
Consider the withdrawal from this
section of our state of 100000