THE BEEF SUPPLY 



plicity's sake, supposing the demand to re- 

 main about the same as now. There are 

 causes at work tending to diminish the sup- 

 ply of beef cattle, and certain to do this 

 unless demand increases a question to be 

 considered later. 



The free pasture area on the public do- 

 main is lessening. Thousands of acres of 

 that pasture have been ruined through lack 

 of supervision. Here is, of course, the great 

 argument for a public land-leasing law, 

 over which so much controversy has arisen. 

 Into this I do not enter; but it is clear to all 

 that if a statute could be enacted enabling 

 stock owners to control their ranges so that 

 care for the land would pay them having 

 this effect without offering any hindrance to 

 honest homesteading such a statute would 

 work great and permanent good. 



As things are, it being no one's interest to 

 prevent, precious soil is blown away by the 

 wind, covered with gravel by millions of 

 gophers, trampled by cattle, gullied into 

 rivers by rains and streams, and made desert 

 by thieves stealing and cutting the trees 



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