The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1917-01-19
PROPOSITION TO i
INCREASE GRAZING
FEES IS ANSWERED
stocimen Point Out That for
Raising Cattle Forest Ranges
Are Inferior to Outside Lands
in Many Ways.

New Mexico cattle and Horse Grow
crs' association and the answer has
been dispatched 10y The delegates q,
the cattlemen TO the American Ma
tional Live stock association at
Cheyenne on January ~. 10 and 90.
The delegates for the New Mexico
stOckmen are VIM. Y. Morley. Mag
daiena; Vic cuiberson. Fierro. Hugh
l.. Hodge. SILVER City me calvin
Glenn. Pinos Altos.
The reasons put forth by the Sec
rotary Of agriculture In his letter OF
November 3, are answered IN detail
and Il Is The opinion Of the stockmcn
that while they may not avert a raise
they at least will not be called upon
to pay double the present rates for
their %pastarase.
To the contention that the nation
al forests are not self-supporting the
cattlemcn reply that while tho entire
forest operations are not paying their
way. grazing Il more than paying all
expenses incurred Hereunder and
that they are paying fuzzy for all ben
ents derived therefrom. The claim
that whereas the forests were set
nSiGe In the first place for the preser-
. ~ W NAAN iAAaAAA ht-NMfNhN
for the entire nation. now the govern
nIent comes forward with the claim
that the stockmen should pay for
more than they are receiving simply
for the reason that an branches OF
the forest services activities 10 not
show an earning. The forests were
established primarily for the presey-
walton OF timber and water supply
and the grazing was looked upon as
IN incidental.
The secretary In his letter states
that there are many that claim hat
the stock permittees Of the forests
are receiving undue financial adj
vantages from the government. To
this the advisory board replies that
any advantage the permittees on the
national forests nay apparently have
is due "a the %ssgscity and foresight
of the permittec and 10 long years OF
htrdships sufcrod3 and the cattle
men who are running without the
forest on land on which no grazing
fee is paid. are receiving a sr satcr help
from the government. though no such
claim Is entered against them. II Is
claimed by the government that
cows on forests bring better prices
than when purchased outside. This
the permittees claim Is nothing more
than Is true Of any stock that are
located on q range aclimated
whether on or On the forests.
II is asserted by the secretary OF
Agriculture that complaints have
been made that pcrmi,teos on forests
are not paying their share 81 the
taxes on the lands on which they
Craze. To this answer Is made. that
more than % per cen OF the grazing
fees paid by the permittecs Is turned
over TO the state school and road
funds. this ir addition TO the regular
taxes paid by the stockmen. And the
permittees On the national forests, IL
will he found. 50 the cat,iomen claim.
are paying ON q larger per cent Of
their actual stock than the man ON
the public range.
From the tone Of the letter of the
secretary tho stocknen are led TO he
lieye that the government II slowly
changing from n basis of cooperation
with the cattlcmen wau nave helped
10 develop the country to one OF COM
mcrcialism. ana state that this Us 10
be regretted.
In drawing q comparison between
the grazing areas on the forests and
those outside. the government adj
mlttcd Dut one advantage to the
stoCkmen running on The outside
fewer restrictions The cattlemen
ind thai there are a number ~ other
advantages on outside range that are
not 10 he found within the forest:
IHW.HHH-Us.. ...aasaaF4s. aud the
| privilege 10 conduct their business
after their ways.
.. Longer permits and leases ON
the outside permitting the s,ockmen
10 shape his business and %organiza
ton Ia advance.
g. Milder winters due 10 the low
or altitude and hence a higher per
contagc Of calycs The average for
the forests OF New Mexico Is from 30
| TO 80 per cent. at best, while outside
The forests IL often run as high as
% 10 so per cent,
4. Better land outside as Is shown
10y the fact that b. was selected itrst
as the country was settled. and con-
scquently possessed a greater carry
] ing capacity. g. costs more 70 run
cattle within the forest owing 1" The
fact that the land II more rugged.
Also fewer bulls are needed for the
pastures ln the less rugged country
without.
g Accessibility, A. the lands
without the forests are nearer rail-
roads and towns hence supplies are
easier gotten into the ranges aud the
cattle are easier 90 get to market
o. Smaller losses from predatory
animals ana uinsr causes. Losses
within the fures, Of New Mexico, for
an causes average not less than 3
per cent a year for grown stock 10
per cent FOR yearlings: 10 per cent
Tor tw0-year-uld heifers and calves,
% per cent
e. Less loco and other poisonous
weeds are tu Dee found on grazing
lands without the forests.
=. While stockmcn who lease a
pasture without the forests are priv
ileged 60 use a pasture as they see
~, the permittee on the forest must
not only ray Il rental fee per acre
where the same Is fenced. hut also
pay a grazing Zee ON every animal
that Tuns in the pasture,
The stookmen summarize their