Arizona republican., 1920-10-27
Strono for CarnbeIl


 Editor of the Phoenix Republicans:
 Tom Campbell certainly deserves the support of every fair minded citizen for his manly effort to stop this bu- reaucratic system of leasing the state lands and should receive the votes of everyone interested in the welfare of Arizona regardless of political affiIia- tions. Ben Harrison redeemed Okla homa by driving out the cattle barons and opening that great territory to actual development and why not Tom Campbell in Arizona2 I well renem- Der his famous declaration. Babies before bullocks. and also the 2zd day of April 1SS9 when the big stampede for the lands occurred. There is an- other bureaucracv that is more far reaching in it's effects that should re- ceive serious attention. and while con- gress is engaged in sending out com mittees of investigation for almost everything else. why not consider the policy of the forest service in holding up large bodies of government land under the guise of forest land in order to issue grazing permits and collect lees from these barons and help them to control what may be left after the states land has been appropriated? Thousands of these acres are treeless and were never intended to be in cluded and held from the homesteader when congress passed the national for est act Every acre of these two hum dred millions thus included that is suitable for any kind of agriculture should immediately be thrown open to make homes for our soldiers and the many homeless people who would gladly embrace such an opportunity The vascillating methods practiced by this department that results in holding this land from settlement has retarded our growth in population and minimized the land values to our state in greater degree than has the leas- ing scheme. For a while it was pos sible to locate farming land on the re- serves under certain restrictions when congress passed the forest homestead act but later this was discontinued in some eases at least; then. when the demands of the war required the greatest amount of farm produce, an order was issued to lease the farming land within these reserves at a nom inal rental. Tn 1919 certain large area was to be eliminated. but action was deferred until the following spring on account of some grazing permits already issued. but. strange to say. the | permits were renewed again and the land is still held from the actual set tier on the pretext that the secretary l has ordered its restoration and they refuse to consider the homesteader while this action is pending. Thus the years roll by and yet this admin istration expects us old Democrats 10 remain steadfast.
 The $40 stock homestead win do more to produce values to the state than any of those schemes to tie LID our public land in the interests of a few cattle and sheep men. Farm prod uets take the preference when it | comes to choosing which is most es- sential to healthful and economic ex- 1 istence. The farmer. with his acres of agricultural land, fortified with enough additional grazing area. will always be provided with both and gen erally have some for the market. The milk, butter and eggs, to say nothing Of the many other values always avail able where land and water and climate are coherent is almost incaIcuiable Give the farmer a chance at this land and 1t will soon be producing more per 1oot than 1t has under the leasing plan at cents per acre
 AN OLD DEMOCRAT.