Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-04-23
SHEEP AND CATTLE
GROWERS UNABLE
TO Get TOGETHER
Hearing Held Before the
State Land Board on the
Application of Two mile
Limit Law.

APPARENTLY no nearer an agreement late
yesterday regarding the two mile limit
law and its enforcement or the leas
ing Of state lands within the area of
the stockmen claim Ia protected by
that law. in the hearing before the
land board, than when they started.
The matter of definitely deciding upon
and adopting the rules governing the
leasing of the land was finally left UP
to the state land board. That body
will meet later and decide just how the
leasing problem will be handled. The
stock and sheepmen unanimously
passed resolution thanking the board
for the time given them at the hearing.
Briefly summarized, the sheepmen
claimed that to take from them the
right to lease state school lands within
the two mile limit means the ruina-
ton of the sheep industry. They plead
for time to be able to get out from
under" In the sheep business.
The stockmen, on the other hand,
claimed the right to all of the grazing
land within the two mile limit law
because they alleged the law intended
" pdA tAo buccpiuGH lEOut LILO u5o VA
the range within that area, and yet
they were being permitted to trample
out the range by trailing sheep across
it so that 1t became useless for stock
insofar as pasturage is concerned.
They seemed to be OF the opinion that
1t is impossible to divide the range
between stock and sheep.
Among the speakers for the stock in
faraSts wora q u re CIaunx
Ferry, Roll Myers of Horseshoe Bend
Z. B. Crawford OF weiser and officers
of the Idaho Cattle and Horse Growers
association. Frank r. Gooding. Ma
than Kicks, Sam Kicks, Senator K. D.
Houtz and others spoke for the sheep
men.
Shespmen Plead for Time.
Governor Gooding declared that IL
the state lands are removed from the
leasing column the industry stands to
be shortly ruined and he pleaded for
fair treatment and the right to grad
ually get out of the sheep business as
the homesteader encroached upon the
range. He thought it was unfair to
enforce q two-mile limit law against
the sheepmen because a homestead had
been taken, as Is the case, he said, in
many lubtAuC6bg ny IHOBb WIN u0NCE
become bona flde homesteaders. Ma
than Kicks made a similar argument.
He declared that no industry was doing
more for Idaho than the sheep and 1t
was entitled to fair consideration. It
was his argument that the priority
right of stockmen and the two mile
limit law mean ultimately that the
sheep interests will have to go out of
he Ia
home builder as strong as any stock
man.
Maraudsr 10 Scored.
The marauder sheepman was at
tackled by Senator Houtz, speaking
from the sheepman's standpoint He
claimed the land board should take
some step to bar the rowing French
and Basque flock owners from the
range Senator Houtz represented the
Portneuf Sheep Grazing association.
Sam Kicks alleged the marauder
doesn't live In Idaho or anywhere
else"
The bitterest attack against the
| sheepmen was made by H. b. Crawford
of Weiser. He declared that he was the
only man in his section Of the country
who had stood out against the sheep
men in the use OF the range and had
been successful. He mentioned fighting
the Butterfield Livestock company n
this regard, declaring they absolutely
refused to abide by the terms of the
two mile limit law. The sheepmen. he
declared. were ruthless and design
ing" and always against the home
steader. The latter, he said, to be the
builders of Idaho and worth in the
long run more than the sheep men.
I'm a cattle man and ] want you to
know it," he cried.
What Rules Declare For.
The new rules proposed by the land
board were presented and read rule by
rule after which they were discussed.
These rules declare against a policy
that will result in the monopoly of the
range by controlling the watering
| places. Declaration on behalf of bona
fide residents Is declared for by the
board together with fostering of the
livestock industry. encouragement of
the small owner. permitting the small
stock owner to have access to big
leases, giving communities preference
right to contiguous isolated tracts. per-
hitting trailing across isolated tracts,
permitting lhe Teasing OF STATE lands
for agricultural or grazing purposes for
term OF from one to five years, limit
ing agricultural leases to $40 acres, al
lowing arabic lands withdrawn for
grazing purposes, allowing a grazing
lease TO be changed to an agricultural
lease. assignment of leases, auction of
leases. terms OF payment, requiring
leases to give bond and prohibiting the
occupation of lands without lease.
/ Bar Nom Residents.
The rules further provide that leases
will not beissued to non residents of
/ the Gtate of Idaho. Grazing leases are