The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1945-08-31
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which print below The letter calls attention to matter
of interest every citizen of the state and matter which
of vital interest to the coming generations.
The of public lands has generally speak
ing the incompetent people, incompetent be-
qualified for that particular job The problem OF
handling public lands to the best advantage OF the
of the public may be considered scientific job that
requires specialized training and experience These quaf
cations have been and notably lacking in the
charged with administration of this division of the state and
the board which the law provides for supervision of the
department seldom ever has any member on with ade
quae knowledge of in the pubc interest
of this important part of its business
The letter below calls attention to the loss being taken
by the public school system of the state because of the low
rental fees of grazing lands to ockgrowers At the time
933 when the grazing fees drasticay reduced Mon
tana livestock industry undoubtedly in need of relief
but this has not been the in recent An Associated
Press dispatch Billings August states that
buyers then bidding $14 hundredwegh for
gassa and SIS hundredweight for grassa hefe
The Montana Stockgrower publication of the Montana
ockgrowers Association in its August Is issue reports live
stock sales Montana ranches from which quote the
following
sYearling heers-Powder River county $500 (same
price reported from Cascade county,
"Yearlng steers-Cascade county at $685. per head
"NIxed yearlngs-Cascade county at $4,000 per head
young with calves at side-Powder River county
$4,000 Immediate delivery, same Cascade county.
Good with calves at sidePowder River county
at $4,000 Immediate delivery, same Cascade county.
past years. the livestock growers
been denty protesting against the ceiling fixed by
the OPA Can anyone any yammering
when such returns those quoted above being received
by them?
The Montana stockgrowers Association is we'll organized
potent lobbying force state legislative
bes Evidence of this that the low rental fees for state
lands obtain when its members reapng tremendous
profits The organization be igtmatey charged with
being totally unconcened with the pubcs interests and who'll
y concerned with reaping maximum profits for its membership
The fact that too much of these profits made at the
of the public school funds apparently does not disturb the
membership in the least
We print below full the letter received by
above Lawyers with whom have discussed
remedies proposed in the letter do not believe that they
be carried Everyone agreed however, that high
time that the people of the state take interest in this
matter of tremendous Importance to Montana and
future AfeVampmg OF the present law IN ne puonc interest
mandatory And this cannot be left to the Montana Stock
growers Association.
The letter follows:
Great Falls Montana August 90 1915 Il
Mr.. H. S. Bruce, Managing Editor
The Peoples Voice
1905 Jockey Street. Helena, Montana
Dear Mr.. Bruce:
In the rental rates on the approximately A.
Grazing Land WERE by the legislature d.
violation of The Enabling Act arbitrarily reduced by 500
substituting user the School
Fund pasng illegally this burden the general
of the ate the rate of in of
years 1888 in the of approximately
So, 400 100000.
Bill 2o7 passed by the Montana Legislative
Assembly of 1888 was permitted to pass by the
then existing understanding
emergency measure and under the solemn promise and
with the users Of the lands involved and their
resentatve in the legislature that Immediately the passing
of then prevailing the rental would be restored
the 1888 Full Value Rate" Emphasis ours)
Repeated efforts have been made to remedy this nexcus
able situation through succeeding legislative assemblies
find that the State Land Committees in both House and
Senate had been packed by Special Interests thoroughly
that relief made impossible.
There only to get the desired relief (The
Land Board and Commissioner have failed and fail
Ing to take the necessary steps to collect the Full value
Rental provided by The Enabling Act the States
of 100000 of grazing land resulting
the School Fund of than O00000) Pc
tition the Supreme Court of Montana.
unconstitutional House Bill No. 2O7 passed
Montana Legislative Assembly of 1885, being
and in conflict with, The Enabling Act.
To declare unconstitutional Senate Bill No. 81, 1907
"Bad Fath2O% Ignorance) passed by the Montana Leg
isative Assembly 1945, the above
forth.
g. To mandamus the Board of Land Commissioners
commissioners of State Lands and Investments to- in
compliance with The Enabling Act restore and place effect
without delay the Full Value Appraisa and rental rates
Grazing Immediately prior to the
ing of House Bill No. 2O7 by 1888 Legislative
To enon the State Board of Land Commissioners and