The Delta independent., 1916-02-11
House Of Representatives, U. s.

House Of Representatives, U. s.
Washington, D. c., Jan. 81, 1916.
To the Officers and Members of.
The Gunnison County stock-growers
Association. The Delta County Live
Stock Association, and The Uncom-
pahgre Valley Cattle & Horse Grow
ers Association. 77
Ny Dear Sirs:
. At the meeting of your Association
on the Both Of last month. you passed
q resolution recommending the en-
actment by Congress Of law. as
follows:
Providing for the regulation Of
grazing on that portion of the pub
lie lands lying outside the Nation
al Forests, forming the water
sheds of the Gunnison and San
Miguel rivers, the same to be un-
der rules similar to those admin
istered in National Forests and
subject to such provision and di-
rection as Congress may desig-
nate: and that such act provide
that existing laws governing en-
try and settlement remain in
force. so that. except for regula-
tion of grazing thereon the status
OF such public lands shall remain
unchanged SO far as this proposed
act is concerned"
The resolution was forwarded to me
by Mr.. T. w. Gray. OF Gunnison. and
by Mr.. ]. B. Killian. of Delta. and by
Mr.. T. w. Monnell. OF Montrose.
at once made an appointment with
Secretary Lane OF the Interior Depart
ment, (which has exclusive jurisdic-
tion over the public domain outside
Of the forest reserves) and took your
resolution with me and had lengthy
personal conference with him upon
the subject OF some systematic regu.
lation of the public domain of the
United States outside of the National
Forests. with the object of devising
some orderly and definite way of pro
tectIng the rights OF stockmen. and at
the same time. not interfering with
the settlement of such public lands
as are capable of supporting homes
! may say that ! took this same mat
ter up with Secretary Lane just after
he came into office. and that he and
j have had several conferences upon
the subject. In substance, he said to
me that II Is such a big question.
Involving as II does the control OF
nearly three hundred million acres OF
public land. that he had not yet defi-
nitely made up his mind as to just
what was best to do He said he
fully recognized that the stockmen
were entitled to fair treatment. and
TO as much consideration as could be
consistently given them. But he said
that ever since the passage OF the
three-year homestead law. on June 6.
1912. homestead entries had nearly
doubled. For twenty years prior to
that time the average for the entire
West was about $4,000 homestead
entries a year. and that during the
past three and a half years since
that law went into effect there have
been over 10000 homestead entries
made. taking up during that time over
thirty million acres OF the public do
main: that during the twelve months
prior to the passage OF the three-year
law. there were 24.326 homestead en-
tries made. while during the year i'm
mediately after the passage OF that
law there were 53.252 homestead en-.
tries made: that land hunger is great
er today than ever before in the his
tory of our government. and for that
reason. he was heartily In favor of.
and his Department was actively sup
porting. the enactment OF the 640-acre
stock-raising homestead Law. because
he is thoroughly convinced that II is
the wisest possible public policy for
the nation. and for the development of
the west. TO provide as many homes as
possible for the people. and that II is
Inevitable that every particle of the
public domain that is capable of sup
porting n family. is going to. and
should go. into private ownership: and
for that reason. he said he would not
favor any legislation that would inter
fere with the orderly settlement OF
the public domain.
In view of the secretary's position.
and of his not having definitely deter
mined upon the proper provisions. or
the wisdom at this time, OF n general
1aw for tho anfira nuhlic domain