The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1934-06-29

AiC NIoW 1llU1d1lS dI1O ally ptTSO11 VI
persons having for its object the exclu-
slve use of the Grow reservation"
A call was made upon Henry M. Tel
Ter, secretary of the interior, to prevent
any such scheme being carried into eff
1ect. H. j. Armstrong, agent for the
Grow Indians, was asked to stop any
negotiations looking to a lease so far
as he might be able to do so. The reso-
lutions pledged yourselves to one
other to resist to the extent of our
power, by all lawful means, any such
disposition of the Crow reservation"
1t was further resolved that a COM
mittee be appointed to circulate a petit
ton to the secretary of the interior
asking his intervention to prevent the
contamination of the proposed lease.
He was also asked to take immediate
action to restore to the public domain
any portion Of the Grow Indian reser-
walton as was not actually necessary to
the use of the Indians. Copies of the
resolution of protest were sent to Sec
rotary Teller and the delegates in On
gress from Montana and Wyoming, also
to United States Senators Dawes, To-
gan, Vest, Cameron and Morgan. The
a meeting adjourned amid great
enthusiasm.
The indignation of the stockmen of
Montana increased and the protests be-
came more emphatic when it was later
learned, through press dispatches, that
the Lease Association of Colorado had
been formed at Pueblo during the early
part of November, 1884. 1t was reported
to be composed of some OF the largest
cattle operators of that state. Names OF
Mattice and Woman, Beattie Brothers,
A. D. Carpenter, Robert Grant, George
Haas, C.. c. Toll, Garrett Lamford, the
Messrs. Ross, McDaniels, Hershberg,
Burke and others were mentioned as
being interested in the organization. It
was reported that the company was to
be the nucleus of a mighty effort to
bring about a radical change in the
United States land laws, particularly
in regard to the vast arid districts OF
the great plains. The statement made
that the law which the lease associa-
ton hoped would be enacted would
then apply to all public domain and
not to the Colorado ranges alone, struck
menacing gesture.
1ul"OrllldGlOll Was DIOdNCdoU CA1oV GAS
organization was formed for the pur-
pose of laying plans to effectually in
troduce an act in congress that would
allow cattle raisers to lease the public
domain to actual settlers" who have
already possessed water frontage, and
wish to avail themselves of further pro-
lection than now is accorded them.
The movers in the scheme believe that
their plans can be brought to success
full maturity. They maintain that the
act of leasing arid lands should be
placed in the land department., and
that each settler should have as much
arid area on the lease plan as his wa
ter front will justify-that is, he is to
get a range pro ratio to his supply OF
running water. BY this method the in
terloper will be forced to keep off the
grass that rightfully belongs to others,
These men favor the renting of leased
land at such prices per acre as may be
determined by a board of commission
ers appointed by the land office-and
that the terms should accord with the
productiveness of the leased land. AS a
rule they all favor fencing, but wish in
no way to interfere with the right cd
bona fide homesteaders or presumption
l~ocators, who will be required, however.
to provide means of access and egress
for their claims. That can be done by
building such roads as will be neces-
sary."