ESSENTIALS OF A GRAZING POLICY. 331 



"The only way in which the non-mineral lands can be filed upon is either 

 under the right of preemption, under timber claim laws, desert-land laws, or 

 those relating to irrigated lands. There is no system for disposing of areas 

 unsuited for agriculture other than under some one of these laws, and the 

 result is that the grazing lands are held as commons open to any stockman 

 who can run his cattle upon them. The first and foremost necessity, if the 

 extravagant waste of the public domain is to be prevented, is to devise some 

 system by which grazing lands can be placed in a class separate from agri- 

 cultural lands, and under which property rights in lands now free to everyone 

 may be assumed by individual stockmen. It has been the experience in all 

 pastoral countries that proper care and conservation of the forage resources 

 can only be secured and will only be practiced where the tenure of the land 

 is sure. The necessary fixity of tenure might be legally provided for by long- 

 term leases directly from the General Government at a nominal rental per 

 acre. 



"Aside from the effect of overgrazing on the lands themselves and on the 

 natural grasses with which they are covered, it is well to note that millions 

 of cattle and sheep are grazed on free lands in every Western State and Terri- 

 torjr. These lands contribute no taxes for the support of the State govern- 

 ments. The cattle when marketed may be sold at a much lower figure than 

 those raised on taxed lands owned by the stock grower and still make a profit. 

 It is not fair to the people who are compelled to bear the expenses of local 

 government for large untaxed areas, nor on the other hand to the cattle men 

 and woolgrowers of the East whose products come into competition with those 

 grown almost without expense on free Government lands. The policy which 

 governed the settlement of the prairie States might well be modified to meet 

 the demands of the stock raisers, especially as a very large percentage of the 

 Government land now remaining is not agricultural and can not be made so 

 by irrigation. The best policy is that which will the best promote permanent 

 settlement. It is necessary that timely action shall be taken to open up the 

 public lands for settlement in tracts extensive enough to encourage men to 

 build ranches and make permanent improvements upon them. The con- 

 tinued existence of great bodies of free lands covered with free grass is de- 

 moralizing to all those who take advantage of the opportunities presented 

 thereby. As suggested above, probably the most feasible plan would be to 

 provide for long-term leases of the public lands for grazing purposes." 



The Kent grazing bill. — As an epitome of the best experience and results 

 in grazing practice and administration, the grazing bill introduced into Con- 

 gress in 1913 by Mr. Kent, of California, is unrivaled. It is such a complete 

 and concise exposition of the proper land policy for the West, and of the needs 

 of the grazing industry, that it is given here in its entirety, because of the 

 conviction that such a measure, and such a measure alone, can solve the land 

 problem of the West. 



H. R. 10539. 



In the House of Representatives, December 15, 1913. 



Mr. Kent introduced the following bill ; which was referred to the Committee 



on the Public Lands and ordered to be printed. 

 A bill for the improvement of grazing on the public lands of the United States and to regu- 

 late the same, and for other purposes. 



Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States 

 of America in Congress assembled, That the unreserved, unappropriated public 

 lands of the United States shall be subject to the provisions of this Act, and 



