Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1922-03-09
LAND EXCHANGE
BILL IS VETOED
LEGISLATION TO BENEFIT SOUTH
IDAHO STOCK INTERESTS is
DEFEATED FRIDAY
new BILL MAY BE INTRODUCED
Lewiston Paper Says Exchange VIII
Hurt Northern Idaho

w OIQ was ItCtlNtQ III DOASt On It IL
dayof last week to the effect that
President Harding, acting on the re-
quest of the Idaho delegation in con-
gress. had vetoed House Bill No. n,
a measure providing for the exchange
of 100000 acres of Northern Pacific
Railway Co. forest lands in the Clear
water, st. Joe and Selway forest re-
serves, for an equal amount of graz
ing land in south Idaho.
The bill had passed the house and
the senate before its provisions re-
ceived any publicity in Idaho and now
it is alleged that the transfer would
have been made, without doubt, but
for the fact that livestock interests in
south Idaho got into a quarrel about
who were to profit from the transfer.
1t seems that Fred Gooding, a large
livestock man of south Idaho, and
some of his associates, knowing of the
proposed transfer, had made use Of
their knowledge to secure an option
which would have given them control
of the 100000 lieu grazing lands.
Gooding claimed that an equal division
of the grazing rights would be made
among Idaho livestock interests but
were suspicious of frame-up and the
agitation which resulted in the veto
of H. B. No. n was started.
Following the agitation against the
bill in south Idaho, mass meetings
were held at several of the larger
towns of the state and resolutions
passed asking for the veto of the
measure. Governor Davis requested
that the option held by Fred Gooding
be turned over to the state and agreed
to call a special session of the legisla-
ture for the purpose of passing a law
to provide for the equitable handling
of the lieu grazing land Gooding
would not agree to the Davis pro-
posal. 1t is now proposed to intro
duce another bill in congress provid-
ing for the exchange of lands but
also providing for the distribution OF
the land in a manner that will mean
that all citizens will have an equal
chance to benefit from the exchange.
|. An explanation of the land exchange
bill from a north Idaho standpoint
was published few days ago in the
Lewiston, Idaho, Tribune, as follows
There appears to be total mis-
statement of the basic facts in what
may be called the land exchange case
in which south Idaho has been inter
ested because of the quarrel among
sheep and banking interests into
which the proposition developed. The
division of the range on 100000 acres
in south Idaho is the solitary question
that is at issue, and the subject is
acute there because the selection of
this 100000 acres can be so made that
a large additional area falls in fact
though not in name, into the same
hands. This is done through filing
on strategical points such as springs
stream, adjacency to forest reserves
and closing up entrances to other pub
lie grazing land. The subject is there
fore important to the conflicting sheer
, interests in south Idaho and to bank.
ing houses which have large sums af
fected, either through holding par
ownership in the contending com
panies or through financing them.
"At the beginning, it seems, one Of
these syndicates procured an option
of purchase on 100000 acres of North
ern Pacific railroad lieu land scrip
at a price favorable to all concerned
! This Northern Pacific scrip applies
to any vacant and unappropriated pub
| lie land, within certain territoria
| limits, and can be filed on any sort
of acreage, agricultural, meadow, tim
ber, sparsely timbered or otherwise.
"It was proposed by the holders o.
the scrip through an act of congress-
to convert this land into forest re
serve and in consideration of doing so
obtain an equivalent of south Idaho
land which was to go into private
! ownership.
"The effect of the transaction was
| therefore, to deprive north Idaho o
| 260 900 acres of available land of iti
already slender domain, while adding
: the same quantity to south ldahoi
resources. 1t is contended that thu
sole issue is the distribution of thu
acreage south Idaho is to acquire
from the government
1--WE must contend, on the othe
hand, that the question concerns nortl
Idaho much more vitally than it doe
south Idaho, for the reason that
loses its domain permanently and ire
vocably, while the south Idaho acre
age remains open for purchase o
scrip filing and is neither injured no
benefited specially. There, the pro
posal affects a few sheepmen alone
and TO accommodate their interes
} north Idaho is to be deprived, withou
j it's consent or even knowledge, of IL
Just and necessary resources.
4 1T is explained that the propositio
came TO light only accidentally, afte
} the bill had passed both houses G
J congress, on the responsibility of tn
Idaho delegation in congress, that tn
act was proper and sound policy. W
do not understand this to be the cas-
"On the contrary, the bill was hel
: in conference committee over a mino
amendment for a month or so, Will
} the conflicting sheep interests tough
J out the matter among themselves.
Failing to agree, the Idaho cor
gressman affected by the bill pre-
4 cured acceptance OF the amendmer
las made and final passage of the ac