Arizona republican., 1918-11-05

November }, proposed amendment to the constitution, that will be placed on the official ballot under Nos. 104 and 105, which proposed amendment is entitled An Act to Amend Section 10 cf Article 10 of the Constitution of the State of Ari- Zona," and designated as THE LEASE LAW"
 There is much to say against this proposed amendment, and for your benefit and for your consideration it will be handled under three distinct :. propositions, tc-wit:
 FIRST-The existing law govern ing the leasing of state lands.
 SECOND-The unfairness of the proposed amendment, and
 THIRD-A common sense appeal to the fairness of the voters of the state of Arizona.
 The first proposition as to the existing laws may be briefly stated. At the second special session of the legislature of the state of Arizona there was presented to and passed by that body a bill entitled Sub House Bill No. r. which created new department in the state, now known as 'The State Land Depart ment" Included in that act and made a part thereof were directions for the leasing of state lands, de- scribing hcw same might be leased, the number of acres and the condi- tions of the lease. Under Section 30 of said act all state lands not other wise administered is subject to lease, but not for a longer term than five years and not more than 160 acres of agricultural, nor more than $40 acres of grazing land could be leased to any one person, association or corporation. The application for lease must be made on blank forms furnished by the department, and in conformity with said act.
 The intent of this law is to ccnfine any individual, association or cor poration to limited number of acres. This is wise for the reason that should any individual, associa- ton or corporation be entitled under the law to more than $40 acres of grazing land it would only be a short time until smaller stock owners and ranchers would be so fenced and hemmed in by the Stock and Land Barons' that their grounds ard homesteads would be inaccessible. It is true that the "Stock and Land Barons" have made this a dummy act. To illustrate: They have se- cured leases to state lands in the name of other ndividuals-individ- Uals who have never seen the ground leased and have never at any time used or intended to use same. and have no tangible interest thereto. This. of course, is not the intent of the law, but this act is better adapt ed to the interest Of the general pub lie throughout the state of Arizona, than the proposed law, to be voted on November 5, for the reason that the Stock and Land Barons" are more
 careful in using dummies to secure | an oversupply Of land.
 Second Proposition. The second proposition is the pro- posed amendment to the constitution | heretofore referred to, and which, 1 when simmered down, is to. the effect | that the Stock and Land Barons" of | the state of Arizona are the only
 class of individuals to De benefited | by the passage thereof for the sim
 pie reason that it gives them the au- thority to lease an unlimited num-
 Der of acres, and to held same for an
 unlimited period of time.
 Did you ever stop to consider what
 this would mean to the smaller
 stockmen of the state and even to
 the rancher with his small herds
 that he is able to maintain by the leasing of possibly GAO acres? This
 would be, and will be, impossible if the proposed amendment above re- ferred to passes. for the reason that the Stock and Land Barons't of the
 state will have the authority to, and
 will, lease all the lands surrounding
 the smaller stockmen and ranchers
 thereby depriving them of egress and
 ingress to their interests, unless they
 obtain same from the Stock and
 Land Barons.'
 Throughout the entire distanct
 along the main line of the Santa F'e from the New Mexico state line tC
 the California state line, under spe- cial act of congress. the United
 States government granted to the 1 Atchison, Topeka X Santa Fe Rail way company every odd numbered section, for distance of forty mile: | on each side of its main line of rail way.
 II This, of course has not heretofor, worked an injury to the smallel | stock interests of the state, bu | should the proposed amendment t | the constitution pass, it would dc. s' | for this reason: That the ''Stocl | and Land Barons" of the state coult II purchase the railroad sections, an, | in that case it would result in siv | l ing to the owners thereof a prio right to lease all adjoining sections which they cannot do under the ex
 isting law.
 Il No Benefit to State. II This proposed amendment will b
 of no benefit whatever to the state 0 II Arizona if passed, even as a revenu II producing medium, for the reasol that nine-tenths of the area of stat land is new under lease, but to nu merous individuals. The only differ ence it would make to the state II that instead of receiving this rev II enue from numerous individuals II would receive it from five or si "Stock and Land Barons."
 II Be warned, NIT. Voter. and do nc I'll let the 'Barons' make you believ Il that it is of general interest through out the state to effect the passage ( II this amendment. But wake up to
 Full sense of your duty as good cit
 Een and investigate.
 Can the laboring man say that tn
 proposed law will aid him? Who
 fostering this proposed amendment
 Is it the laboring man or is it tf
 ~Stcck and Land Barons?" Upon 1T
 1estlgation you will find that u proposed amendment is fostered ar fathered by the Stock and Lar
 Barons" throughout the entire stat
 5n fact, they are now holding mee
 ings for the sole purpose of effectir
 the passage of this proposed amend ment, and are attempting to effect coalition with the mining men of tn ftate, for the selfish purpose of ei fecting its passage.
 Al L. E..t