The Glacier reporter. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1953-current, 1953-10-30
Change Sought
In Grazing Law

The Stockmen's Grazing Bill
issue, which caused such concern
to conservation, has been sent
back to Congress under a flood
of protest. The bill represented
special interest, and would have
acted against public interest on
public domain lands.
Now a constructively objective
alternative has been offered in
HR-6081, introduced by Rep. Lee
Metcalf MONTY His purpose is
to correct the defects shown up
by 10 years of the Taylor Graz
ing Act administration. And his
bill at the same time would serve
the public interest by recogniz-
ing multiple purpose values of
the public domain, such as graz
ing, watershed, timber and recre-
alton.
HR16081 will become conser.
vation's answer for objective re-
vision of laws on the grazing
problem. The bill will provide for
conservation representation on
the district advisory boards which
previously had been completely
dominated by livestock grazing
permittees. Individuals will speak
for watershed values, wildlife, re-
creation, and other resource uses
of the area.
This new bill was referred to
the House Interior and Insular
Affairs Committee which had
held hearings on HR-4O23, the
bill with, special interest featur-
es. 1t was during these hearings
that the conservation forces, in,
Guiding sportsmen. made strong
objections to the stockmen's bill.
Supposedly we would have got
an orderly revision of public land
laws to stabilize the livestock in
dustry. But actually a small seq
ment of the western livestock
groups would have set up a sta,
tutory priority for grazing on ma
tional forest lands to the detri.
ment of multiple purpose uses
And this would have given so
substantial vested right in graz.
ing permits that national forest
lands would have become here.
ditary and saleable property.
During these hearings the
stockmen and stockmen's sup.
porters on the committee criticiz-
ed conservation people for not
having suggested revisions to the
Taylor Grazing Act. This came
about when conservation people
objected to extending the stock
men dominated administration of
the Taylor Grazing Law to cover
the national forests.
Rep. Metcalf prepared his bill
to correct the defects revealed in
the Taylor Grazing Act, and also
to protect the public interest, in
Guiding wildlife and recreation.
In opposing H.R. 1923, Rep Met
calf had made a thorough study
of the public land laws. Although
Mr.. Metcalf is a freshman mem
Der of Congress, he has had eX-
perience in the Montana state SUI
preme court. He has revealed
an unprejudiced interest in con-
servation problems.
While this session of Congress
is adjourned and members have
returned to their home districts,
sportsmen conservationists who
are interested in overcoming the
bad effects of HR-4O23 and S-l491
would do we'll to study and ex-
press their views on HR-6O81. This
bill is expected to receive the sup
port of national conservation
groups.
1t is most unfortunate that the
self-seeking minority of western
livestock men, grazing public
lands under permit, should have
attempted the extremes of HR-
1923 and S-1491. Their conduct
has prejudiced others against the
whole western livestock opera
ton which depends on grazing
permits on public domain and ma
tional forests.
But fortunately, there were
right thinking stockmen and
grazing permittees who objected
and fought the extremes of these
two bills. Perhaps the livestock
industry can now show some
craftsmanship by the supporting
the detectives of HR-6O81. This
bill of Rep. Metcalf's recognizes
that forage grass is an annual
crop and resource of public do
main which should be utilized in
the public interest. We have no
objection to grazing if it takes
place among multiple purpose
uses and not seek to dominate
such uses, he states.
Mrs. Marie Davis, of the Davis
hotel, is in the Memorial hospital
at Cut Bank, for treatment of an
illness from which she has been