The Coconino sun., 1918-10-18
CURETON OPPOSED TO
 PRESENT LEASE LAW
MIR. EDITOR:

In the last two issues of your pa- per explained why am opposed to the proposed changes in our State Constitution regarding the leasing of state lands, and why both of these amendments should be defeated at the coming election. l will now explain why am opposed to our present state land laws and why 1 favor their amendment ty the next legislature.
 The minimum price for which our state lands can be sold is $500 per acre, while the same lands can be leased at three cents per acre per year. This lease price is entirely too small as it represents only one per cent per annum of the minimum value of the land as fixed by the laws of the state.
 Under our present system large livestock outfits are controlling large areas of our state lands by getting others to sign up leases and these big interests pay the leasing fees and use the land. Many of these individuals who sign up these leases for the big outfits live outside the state and have never seen the land and have no in- terest whatever in the leasing except to help some big outfit get monop- oly on our state lands to the detri- ment of the small man. Our present laws should be changed so as to pre- vent this wholesale land grabbing by these big livestock outfits, and fixed so that the small man can have a chance to earn a decent living.
 If we allow these large outfits to continue in this way it will not be long till many of the small stock men will have to go out of business. A large number of our voters know where this land grabbing is going on and know who is doing the grabbing. Some of them know already that the large outfits have the best of it and are pleading for relief. The best way to get relief is to send men to the state legislature who will fight for the people and not make laws which favor monopoly.
 We hear already echoes of these large outfits claiming to be perfectly satisfied with the present laws (when they feel they cannot get the amend ments which have been. started through at the coming election). They feel that the legislators who proposed and worked for the present land grabbing law should be given credit for noble deeds well done. But l say they are mistaken and should be ashamed of men who urge the pas sage of laws intended to help the big outfits to the detriment of the small property holder. And to make it still harder these same legislators claim to be friends to the laboring man and the man of small holdings.
 This wrong doing has gone on long enough and am certain that many of the small stockmen and homestead. CTS have felt the injustice keenly all ready. They feel that if things con tinue they will soon be frozen com pletely out. They know, too, what to expect when large, interests are elect ed to the state Legislature, and these large interests know full we'll what tc expect along this land law proposi. tion if I am elected to the state sen ate. They know will fight with al my power for an adjustment and change of land laws that will allow the small man to live as well as them selves. .sl predict the next echo from the large outfits will be an attack upon me for the purpose of turning some voters who have already made ur their minds to vote for me for the state senate. And would thank any voter to inform me as soon as my record is attacked so that l can in form you personally the absolute truth of the matter right from the shoulder out.
 Very truly,
 T. H. CURETON. aJ