30 WESTERN GRAZING GROUNDS AND FOREST RANGES 



or necessity. The results of regulated grazing upon the 

 various National Forests have however been a good ex- 

 ample of what could be accomplished by some reasonable 

 range control. Conflicts have been avoided; depleted 

 ranges have been restored, and it is the boast of the For- 

 est Service that not a single hostile shot has been fired 

 between the two interests, nor any stock maliciously 

 killed on the National Forests, since they were estab- 

 lished. 



Today many of the leading sheepmen of the country 

 believe that the permanence of their business will be 

 guaranteed by a general supervision of the grazing 

 ranges by some authority whose presence will prevent 

 overstocking, too early grazing and complete destruction 

 of the range, together with guaranteeing its fair division 

 between all users. The only question in the matter 

 is one of enforcement. On this point the sheepmen dif- 

 fer. An obstructive majority demands to be let alone, 

 although admitting many of the claims made by the 

 more progressive. They are fearing they know not what 

 in the administration of the law. They realize that the 

 case is urgent, and that the patient needs attention. They 

 concede the necessity for calling a doctor, but cannot 

 agree as to which doctor they should have. 



A law covering this question, drawn by men of both 

 sides and believed to be as fair and just as such a law 

 can be made, has been introduced in Congress. A copy 

 of this bill is printed in this work to show exactly the 

 points involved. Its passage depends wholly upon the 

 amount of support it receives from the stockmen them- 

 selves. At present the cattlemen are almost a unit for 

 it, while a majority of the sheep interests are opposed 

 to it. That it will some day become a law seems certain. 



