Evening star., 1925-09-26

Under instructions from Congress.
the United States Forestry Service is
about to increase the cost of living
for all sheep and beef animals graz
ing on public forest lands. The in
crease will be graded according to 10
cal conditions. In Arizona, the pas
turage being poor, the price of board
will be actually lowered. In other
States the rate will average cent
and a half month for every sheep
and IL cents a month for all cattle.
And all sheep are bleating and cat
tie bawling at this outrageous in
crease of living expenses-nearly dou-
BILE what it has been costing up to
date, even since the war.
In the good old times of the sleeps
forefathers any ram or lamb could
live quite comfortably in Uncle Sans
boarding house for about three-quar-
ters of a cent a month for his raw
material-the succulent grass, includ-
ing fine f1avoring of forest tree
sprouts and seeds. Flocks of 1000
sheep could Craze under the protect
ing care of shepherds, at an expense
of only $40 a month for the grass,
while embryo forests were thrown
in" free. A herd of 200 cattle could
do the same. -
- X X
The stock feeders are now setting
up plea that the Federal Govern
ment should withdraw its control
over public land and turn it over to
State control 1t is alleged that the
feeders believe that they would exer-
else more influence over local powers
than they do over the United States
Forestry Service, and could get better
rates for pasturage.
A more specific demand has been
ence held in Salt Lake City, pursuant
to a call by the Wool Growers AS
sociation and the American. National
Live Stock Association.
In that demand they ask that the
basis of charge for pasturage shall be
changed from per capita of stock to
per acre Of land, with no restrictions
as to the number OF sheep or cattle
that may be put upon the paSturage.
Furthermore, they want vested rights
in the land, with the privilege of
selling and transferring the rights,
just as land titles are sold; also that
such rights shall be based on estab-
lished priority-"squatter rights
barring out the newcomer upon land
already. taken by the stockman who
was there at the time OF the enact
ment,- Of the law. Also, "any law
enacted covering this matter should
be based upon the principle of local
option IN States or grazing districts"
Federal control would thus be sup
erseded by the local option Of the in
terests desiring to acquire by squat
ter sovereignty the absolute right over
the public land, including the power
to sell, and the exemption Of taxes,
since the title, nominally, would re.
main in the Government: which would
permanently rent the land, upon "A
charge basis which does not depreciate
investment values in privately owned
properties dependent upon the Use Of
such ranges" For example, the
rents per acre for grazing must be SO
low that the earning value of the
corrals land ( other private property
shall not be deprecated.
Incident to these demands of the
stock interests is one more stipula-
ton, namely, that the Government
must make no further national parks
nor game preserves in any of the Far
/ Western States. All land o%ned by
the. Federal, Government is wanted
for pasturage, regardless of forestry
or anything else. Co. -
These. demands, formulated at Salt
Lake City, VIII be urged upon the
eongae4sjeffalf committee now investi-
eating the situation, and preparing to
take up the matter at the coming ses-
sion Of Congress.
D. II. the nAanMhie, the Bureau g