Gunnison news-champion., 1916-12-22
sTOanu IInne n
Use nl 70 KILL ~
Posed 60 ACRE nlI
Caitle and Sheep Bssoas Sead
Poweifa Lobby TO Wssh;.ssoa
IN Hope of Cain;ng Amendnesh
o. Dstesing Law 6os Losvb

Denver Post:
Cattle and shssp baronS Of tie Wet
In . last dssperate attempt 10 dsfsst
ths 6l0-aers Homestead law which =
before congrsss for 6nal passage, have
gone to President Wilson and demand
ed that be whip the leading Democratic
into line against the bill. or, failing 70
do this, that be promise to veto The law
II it passes in its present form.
So determined are cattle and sheep
men Of the West that the bill be modi-
fed to suit their demands that the con-
ference committee Of the house and
senate which 10 changing the measure
in an attempt to suit all interests in
volved, found Il necessary to take the
matter up with the president and seek
to Offset the arguments presented TO
him In private sessions with the cattle
and sheepmen. The conference was
held December Is.
At Washington it 10 admitted that
the situation 10 somewhat complicated
due to the opposition Of the various
livestock associations, backed up by
some Of the richest men in the country.
The homesteader and the farmer, bow
ever. have good fighting chance.
The opposition embraces not only the
cattle and the sheepmen, but the con-
servstionists Of both the West and the
East. They are present in Washing
ton in large numbers and the lobby
working against the bill 10 ono Of the
most active and influential ever seen st
the nationsl capital. The leaders Of
the lobby are bombarding Franklin K.
Lane, secretary Of the interior, with
petitions and they are demanding audi
sncss with the president and bearing
down heavily On ths ssnstors and rep
rsssntativss swho ar insliusd = fsvoe
the bill because II opens the way FOR
settlement Of millions Of aeFes Of lands
to the homesteaders.
The frat aim Of the cattle and Con-
servstion lobby 10 to prevent passage
Of the bill In any form. Failing in this
It 10 hoped to have it 20 changed that
1t will not be recognized. It is the pur-
pose Of the lobby to amend the bill 20
it will include oil Of the demands of the
cattle interests. Two conferences have
been held between the members Of the
senate and house committees, but It Is
feared that the majority Of both will
listen to the siren song Of the cattlemen
and emasculsts the bill to suit their
interests.
Senator Smoot Of Utah has been one
Of the stumbling blocks in the senate,
according 70 Washington reports. He
10 one Of the powerful men 1t Wash
ington who il insisting on csrtain
changes in the bill a. originally intro
ducsd before be gives It his support.
Senator Shsfroth Of Colorado believes
that the difsrences will be ironed ont
in sstisfactory manner. Other Colo
rado members Of the congressional dele
CATION are not % optomistic
T. w. Tomlinsoa Of Denver, sscre-
tary Of the American National Lave
stock association. 10 one Of the leaders
Of the cattIemen's lobby at Washing
ton. Colorado cattlemen have hled
petitions with the secretary Of the In
terror seeking to have set aside vast
tracts Of lands - TRAILS" leading
out Of the national forests for the bene-
nt Of csttlsmsn. This is done to take
care Of the cattle in case the 6l0-acre
homestead law 10 passed. The home-
stead law permits homesteadsrs to file
on $40 scrss Of grazing land ct . total
cast Of sA.