Mohave County miner and our mineral wealth., 1920-01-17

first right to buy and file this scrip. We feel sure that he will use the same fair and equitable methods in placing this scrip which he used when he sold the railroad lands.
 "It is only natural for the live stock industry to endeavor to stabil ize itself in the same manner as al! other industries are stabilized, and this could only be brought about by the control of the range upon which the stock grazed.
 "We feel quite sure that the stock men of your County will agree with us in this respect and that it is the ambition of each stock man to own and have absolute control over the lands upon which his sheep or cat tie may graze.
 "It has been intimated that the Stock Companies in which We are in terested are the only ones that have sought to solidify their holdings of land; but we could show you map on the wall in our office and point out to you section upon section of land which has been consolidated by men who appear to be the prime in stigators in the opposition to our fil- ing this scrip.
 "Not one of our neighbors, who ad joins us and own railroad lands, vii! say that We have filed on any lands to which they may have equities, or upon which they have improvements. Of course, things have been misrep- resented to them, as in the case of one stock man. It was represented to him that We were filing scrip on the even numbered sections in the town ships where he owned the railroad lands which was a very false state ment, but through such misrepresen- tations and insinuations the various members of the Northern Arizona Protective Association have started a propaganda and a great many peo- pie not being conversant with the facts or not being in opposition to avail themselves of the same, would naturally be inclined to believe these statements, in the absence of informa- tion to the contrary.
 "Just to give you an example of the why and wherefor of the opposition, we heard recently that one of the prime movers in the Association was asked what particular objection he had to the filing of the scrip. He said, I have cattle outfit (which is ranges on the Williams Division of the Tusayan National Forest, (which is near Williams) and 1 have another outfit which ranges to the Grand Can yon. 1 have been running cattle be- tween Williams and the Grand Can yon.' He was asked by the Govern ment Inspector whether or not he held any water or lands in the country be- tween Williams and the Grand Can yon and he said No. You can see, therefore, the way he looks at things; he has been using other peoples lands and water for years for his cattle, and now because he is going to be deprived of other peoples range and lands he objects to it. As mat ter of fact this man has both a sum- mer and winter range on the Nation al Forest, and further he does not have to make extensive improvements or own the range upon which he grazess his cattle but has permits from the Forest Service for this privi- lege.
 'TThis man does not own one single drop of water, nor has he established one single improvement nor has any of the range upon which we have filed scrip ever been recognized or consid- cred as his or that he has any equit- ies therein.
 We could take any of the stock men of this or your community and go over our ranges with them and We feel sure that we could establish to them beyond a doubt that not in one single instance have we filed scrip upon any lands to which other people made claim or had equities, As matter of fact wherever we con- sidered such condition might possi- bly, arise We did not file the scrip on such lands.
 "As to the principle of exchange be- tween the Railroad lands within the Indian Reservation for lands without the Reservation on public domain, we have just this to say. As long as the railroad lands are situated within the Indian Reservation, the counties get no taxes from such lands, nor do the stock men get any benefits from the same. These lands are owned and held exclusively for the benefit of the Indians within the Indian Reservation whether the lands within the same are Government or railroad lands.
 "On the other hand, the exchange of these lands gives wealth to the con,- munity and makes them immediately | subject to taxation. It gives the stock men the benefit of stabilizing their in- dustry which no sound business man can say is bad thing for any com- munity.
 'It has no dubt also been brought up that the exchange is steal; that the railroad company is exchanging worthless lands within the Indian Res ervation for good lands without. If you will investigate statements of this character which are made, you will find these statements are made by people who never have been on the Indian Reservations where these lands which are being exchanged are situ- ated. They are making their state ments upon generalities. As a mat ter of fact, the Government Inspector ,.,L L> L,, ;,et axoroipad tho lands with