The Glenwood post., 1924-02-07

The mass meeting Of cattlemen
chjied at Meeker last Saturday by the
Rio Blana, Commercial club was liz e.
" affair from start 20 finish and was
w,:l attended, about IS enthusiastic
cattlemen being present.
This was just a continuation of the
trouble which has existsl for several
years with more or less intensity
between the cowmen and the sheep
nan, and was called for the purpose
of voicing a protest by the cattlemen
against the continued maintenance of
sheep driveway over public domain
from the Utah line to where said trail
enters the national forest near Rio
Blanco, Colorado.
The order for withdrawal from entry
of certain lands for use as a stock
driveway was issued by the secretary
of the interior December 81, 1928,
under an act of December 90, 1916,
and the cattlemen claim that its oper-
alton will work serious injury to
their business.
Supervisor Blair of the White River
forest was an invited guest at the
meeting, which he says reminded him
Of old times when forestry officers
were invited to such meetings in order
that they might have good opportunity
to find how insignificant they were
in the estimation of the stockmen.
Some years ago the Utah sheepmen
secured another driveway considerably
to the north of the present drive, but
the cattlemen objected to it and
brought pressure to bear which result
ed in its cancellation. The sheepmen
took the matter up with the interior
department and secured the permit
for the new driveway, which the cat
tlemen claim will be more injurious
to them than the old one.
For some reason the cowmen blamed
Supervisor Blair for favoring the
present driveway, and some appeared
to believe that it was largely through
his influence that the permit was IL
sued, whereas he knew nothing Of 1t
whatever until just before he left for
Meeker, when he made inquiry at the
local land office and was told that
such permit had been issued from
Washington last December. Apparent
ly the matter was not taken up with
the forestry department, and neither
Mr.. Blair nor his superior officer In
Denver knew anything about it until
the permit had been issued.
The meeting was called to order by
u. B. waibridge, president Of the Rio
Blanco Commercial club, and Joe Neal,
banker and stockman, was made
chairman Of the gathering.
Tho cattlemen are sore because
Utah sheepmen are permitted to drive
their flocks across this country, over
the protest Of the cattlemen whose
range is damaged BY the whiting sheep.
After Mr.. Blair explained his attitude,
or rather his lack Of any attitude, and
his ignorance Of what was being done,
until after 1t had been accomplished,
the cattlemen modified their attitude
toward him and asked him several
questions, which he answered, at tho
same time giving the meeting some
valuable advice.
Finally resolution was adopted,
protesting the driveway, and asking
that the permit be cancelled. This Will
be forwarded to our representatives
and senator's in Warrington, who will
be asked to exert their influence TO-
ward the cancellation Of the permit,
hut whether they win succeed or not
remains to be seen.
THE resolution which was presented
and quite literally signed, is general
in character, and opposes a sheep trail