Speech #590170917

Let me say that every time I have ever had anything to do with this sort of legislation I have contended and insisted that one of the things that must be in such a bill was. first. a provision to protect the working of the homestead law and to save to the homesteader the first right to the public commons." I appreciate just as much as the Senator from Idaho appreciates and just as much as all the people in every State appreciate that we want settlement. we want men and women. we want people in our States. and we had rather have that land settled up with homesteaders than to have it settled up with cattle grazing in great herds. But if we dont have homesteaders enough to use it all. then we want the rest cared for and used for the best interests of the most people. So it has been always difficult to get up any kind of a law looking to the control of these great tracts of grazing land. simply because the people were so solicitous and so fearful that something was going to be placed on the statute books that would retard immigration to their particular locality and that would in some wise interfere with the settlement and development of that State. They have also been solicitous lest a law should be made in the interest of the great cattle kings of the country. Now let me say.