The Arizona copper camp., 1919-08-23
MOVE STARTED TO !:
IMPROVE CONDITIONS:
ON WESTERN RANGES


made to secure the proper admins
tration of the stock ranges of the
western states is due to the foresight
and ability of Arizona stockmen." This
is the statement made on his return
from the recent Salt Lake convention
by d. W. Working, dean of the college
of Agriculture of the University of
| Arizona. The convention, which was
called by President G. P. Mullen of
the Arizona Cattle Growers associa-
tion after an extended and thorough
discussion of the various problems of
the national forest grazing areas and
the open range, adopted preamble
and resolutions expressing the con-
clusions of the delegates present.
The preamble recited the well-un-
derstood facts that the "indiscrimf1i-
ate grazing pf the public lands has
resulted in great reduction of for
age;" that this indiscriminate grazing
has been brought about by the lack
of supervision by the federal govern
ment;" and that this lack of adequate
administration of the public domain
has resulted in great economic loss
to the nation
with this much agreed upon" said
Dean Working, there was little room
for dispute concerning what ought to
be done. Evidently there should be
adequate and unified administrator
by the nation of the nations great
area of pasture lands. This was tie
idea of President Mullen and the other
representatives of the Arizona Cattle
Growers association. After full dis
cussion the representatives of three
states that had few votes express
ing preference for state administTa-
tion of federal lands, realized thai
they had been contending for the I'M
possible and voted with the great
majority for the policy of unified fed
e1al supervision; so the following res
olution was adopted as the sense of
the delegates:
Resolved BY the convention of
stockmen, representing the livestock
interests of the states of Arizona, Cal
ifornia, Colorado, Idaho, Montana,
Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Nebras-
ka, New Mexico and Wyoming, at Il
meeting in Salt Lake City, July 81,
1919, that Congress be urged to initi-
ate legislation to the end that grazing
on the unappropriated public domain
'1be Regulated by the federal govern
i ment. under the supervision OF the de-
partment of agriculture with the in
terests Of the livestock men properly
safeguarded'
"An additional resolution urged 60.
operation by the departments of ag:
riculture and the interior to hasten
the desired result All this was very
good. The very best thing was dorre
on motion of an Arizona delegate
that the convention be transformed
into a permanent organization to ha
known as the United Stocxmen's ass
sociation for the Federal Control 0f
the Public Lands. Mr.. Mullen, who
had admirably presided over the con-
vention, was made president of the
new organization, and r. c. Dilling-
ham of Idaho was chosen secretary
treasurer. Provision was made for
an executive committee of two men,
bers from each of the states named
iii the resolution, one to represent the
cattlemen and the other sheepmeIi,
Dwight B. Heard and Hugh M. Camp
bell were selected to represent Ari-
zOna. A fund of several thousand
dollars was subscribed in few min
utes to enable Mr.. Mullen and his as
sociates to present the plan of the
United Stockmen to congress and the
president.
"It is worth repeating that very
constructive piece of work has been
begun by western stockmen under
the leadership of Arizona men, Per-
sonally, | am glad to have been invit-
ed to attend the convention The ag-
ricultTal colleges of six other states
were represented by strong men. The
stockmen and the college men worked
together admirably, each group no.
ticeably gaining in respect for the
other"