120 MAJOR JOHN F. LACEY 



ing lands. The change from free grazing to the leasing 

 system was attended with violence and bloodshed in that 

 state, but public sentiment has steadily grown in favor of 

 the leasing system, until the people there are practically 

 unanimous in their commendation of the law. The only 

 criticism there is, is that the leasing of the land in very 

 large tracts has retarded the settlement of some parts of 

 the state. 



Experience, however, in Texas has shown that the 

 leased tracts have produced an increased amount of 

 grass, and that the land is capable of sustaining a much 

 larger number of cattle under the leasing system than 

 under the old method of free grazing. The reason for 

 this is very evident. Where there is a proprietary inter- 

 est in the pasturage, the owner will endeavor to manage 

 it in such a way as to increase the product. On the other 

 hand, where the range is free to all, with no proprietary 

 rights in the future, each cattle and sheep owner endeav- 

 ors to get all the grass he can without any reference to 

 the future. 



The annual grasses are eaten before going to seed, and 

 the pasture of next year is not considered. A wise farmer 

 would not feed his seed corn to his flocks, and the seed of 

 many of these grasses is equally as necessary. I believe 

 there ought to be a remedy for this, and after many years' 

 service upon the public lands committee I have thought it 

 my duty to attempt to prepare a bill which I believe will 

 overcome or minimize the evil to which I have referred 

 and at the same time avoid the other evil of monopoliza- 

 tion of the range. I have therefore prepared a bill that 

 I believe will be just, by limiting the leasing rights in 

 comparatively small tracts to the homesteaders and resi- 

 dent landowners only. 



The bill provides for leasing only the arid and semiarid 

 land which is not capable of irrigation, the leases to run 



