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The¡¡barb¡­wire¡¡fence£»¡¡which¡¡was¡¡at¡¡first¡¡used¡¡extensively¡¡by¡¡the¡¡great¡¡operators£»¡¡came¡¡at¡¡last¡¡to¡¡be¡¡the¡¡greatest¡¡friend¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Little¡¡Fellow¡¡on¡¡the¡¡range¡£¡¡The¡¡Little¡¡Fellow£»¡¡who¡¡under¡¡the¡¡provisions¡¡of¡¡the¡¡homestead¡¡act¡¡began¡¡to¡¡push¡¡West¡¡arid£»¡¡to¡¡depart¡¡farther¡¡and¡¡farther¡¡from¡¡the¡¡protecting¡¡lines¡¡of¡¡the¡¡railways£»¡¡could¡¡locate¡¡land¡¡and¡¡water¡¡for¡¡himself¡¡and¡¡fence¡¡in¡¡both¡£¡¡¡¨I've¡¡got¡¡the¡¡law¡¡back¡¡of¡¡me£»¡¨¡¡was¡¡what¡¡he¡¡said£»¡¡and¡¡what¡¡he¡¡said¡¡was¡¡true¡£¡¡Around¡¡the¡¡old¡¡cow¡¡camps¡¡of¡¡the¡¡trails£»¡¡and¡¡around¡¡the¡¡young¡¡settlements¡¡which¡¡did¡¡not¡¡aspire¡¡to¡¡be¡¡called¡¡cow¡¡camps£»¡¡the¡¡homesteaders¡¡fenced¡¡in¡¡landso¡¡much¡¡land¡¡that¡¡there¡¡came¡¡to¡¡be¡¡no¡¡place¡¡near¡¡any¡¡of¡¡the¡¡shipping¡­points¡¡where¡¡a¡¡big¡¡herd¡¡from¡¡the¡¡South¡¡could¡¡be¡¡held¡£¡¡Along¡¡the¡¡southern¡¡range¡¡artificial¡¡barriers¡¡to¡¡the¡¡long¡¡drive¡¡began¡¡to¡¡be¡¡raised¡£¡¡It¡¡would¡¡be¡¡hard¡¡to¡¡say¡¡whether¡¡fear¡¡of¡¡Texas¡¡competition¡¡or¡¡of¡¡Texas¡¡cattle¡¡fever¡¡was¡¡the¡¡more¡¡powerful¡¡motive¡¡in¡¡the¡¡minds¡¡of¡¡ranchers¡¡in¡¡Colorado¡¡and¡¡Kansas¡£¡¡But¡¡the¡¡cattle¡¡quarantine¡¡laws¡¡of¡¡1885¡¡nearly¡¡broke¡¡up¡¡the¡¡long¡¡drive¡¡of¡¡that¡¡year¡£¡¡Men¡¡began¡¡to¡¡talk¡¡of¡¡fencing¡¡off¡¡the¡¡trails£»¡¡and¡¡keeping¡¡the¡¡northbound¡¡herds¡¡within¡¡the¡¡fencesa¡¡thing¡¡obviously¡¡impossible¡£

The¡¡railroads¡¡soon¡¡rendered¡¡this¡¡discussion¡¡needless¡£¡¡Their¡¡agents¡¡went¡¡down¡¡to¡¡Texas¡¡and¡¡convinced¡¡the¡¡shippers¡¡that¡¡it¡¡would¡¡be¡¡cheaper¡¡and¡¡safer¡¡to¡¡put¡¡their¡¡cows¡¡on¡¡cattle¡¡trains¡¡and¡¡ship¡¡them¡¡directly¡¡to¡¡the¡¡ranges¡¡where¡¡they¡¡were¡¡to¡¡be¡¡delivered¡£¡¡And¡¡in¡¡time¡¡the¡¡rails¡¡running¡¡north¡¡and¡¡south¡¡across¡¡the¡¡Staked¡¡Plains¡¡into¡¡the¡¡heart¡¡of¡¡the¡¡lower¡¡range¡¡began¡¡to¡¡carry¡¡most¡¡of¡¡the¡¡cattle¡£¡¡So¡¡ended¡¡the¡¡old¡¡cattle¡¡trails¡£

What¡¡date¡¡shall¡¡we¡¡fix¡¡for¡¡the¡¡setting¡¡of¡¡the¡¡sun¡¡of¡¡that¡¡last¡¡frontier£¿¡¡Perhaps¡¡the¡¡year¡¡1885¡¡is¡¡as¡¡accurate¡¡as¡¡anythe¡¡time¡¡when¡¡the¡¡cattle¡¡trails¡¡practically¡¡ceased¡¡to¡¡bring¡¡north¡¡their¡¡vast¡¡tribute¡£¡¡But£»¡¡in¡¡fact£»¡¡there¡¡is¡¡no¡¡exact¡¡date¡¡for¡¡the¡¡passing¡¡of¡¡the¡¡frontier¡£¡¡Its¡¡decline¡¡set¡¡in¡¡on¡¡what¡¡day¡¡the¡¡first¡¡lank¡¡¡¨nester¡¨¡¡from¡¡the¡¡States¡¡outspanned¡¡his¡¡sun¡­burned¡¡team¡¡as¡¡he¡¡pulled¡¡up¡¡beside¡¡some¡¡sweet¡¡water¡¡on¡¡the¡¡rolling¡¡lands£»¡¡somewhere¡¡in¡¡the¡¡West£»¡¡and¡¡looked¡¡about¡¡him£»¡¡and¡¡looked¡¡again¡¡at¡¡the¡¡land¡¡map¡¡held¡¡in¡¡his¡¡hand¡£

¡¨I¡¡reckon¡¡this¡¡is¡¡our¡¡land£»¡¡Mother£»¡¨¡¡said¡¡he¡£

When¡¡he¡¡said¡¡that£»¡¡he¡¡pronounced¡¡the¡¡doom¡¡of¡¡the¡¡old¡¡frontier¡£



Chapter¡¡IX¡£¡¡The¡¡Homesteader

His¡¡name¡¡was¡¡usually¡¡Nester¡¡or¡¡Little¡¡Fellow¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡the¡¡old¡¡story¡¡of¡¡the¡¡tortoise¡¡and¡¡the¡¡hare¡£¡¡The¡¡Little¡¡Fellow¡¡was¡¡from¡¡the¡¡first¡¡destined¡¡to¡¡win¡£¡¡His¡¡steady¡¡advance£»¡¡now¡¡on¡¡this¡¡flank£»¡¡now¡¡on¡¡that£»¡¡just¡¡back¡¡of¡¡the¡¡vanguard¡¡pushing¡¡westward£»¡¡had¡¡marked¡¡the¡¡end¡¡of¡¡all¡¡our¡¡earlier¡¡frontiers¡£¡¡The¡¡same¡¡story¡¡now¡¡was¡¡being¡¡written¡¡on¡¡the¡¡frontier¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Plains¡£

But¡¡in¡¡the¡¡passing¡¡of¡¡this¡¡last¡¡frontier¡¡the¡¡type¡¡of¡¡the¡¡land¡­seeking¡¡man£»¡¡the¡¡type¡¡of¡¡the¡¡American£»¡¡began¡¡to¡¡alter¡¡distinctly¡£¡¡The¡¡million¡¡dead¡¡of¡¡our¡¡cruel¡¡Civil¡¡War¡¡left¡¡a¡¡great¡¡gap¡¡in¡¡the¡¡American¡¡population¡¡which¡¡otherwise¡¡would¡¡have¡¡occupied¡¡the¡¡West¡¡and¡¡Northwest¡¡after¡¡the¡¡clearing¡¡away¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Indians¡£¡¡For¡¡three¡¡decades¡¡we¡¡had¡¡been¡¡receiving¡¡a¡¡strong¡¡and¡¡valuable¡¡immigration¡¡from¡¡the¡¡north¡¡of¡¡Europe¡£¡¡It¡¡was¡¡in¡¡great¡¡part¡¡this¡¡continuous¡¡immigration¡¡which¡¡occupied¡¡the¡¡farming¡¡lands¡¡of¡¡upper¡¡Iowa£»¡¡Minnesota£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡Dakotas¡£¡¡Thus¡¡the¡¡population¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Northwest¡¡became¡¡largely¡¡foreign¡£¡¡Each¡¡German¡¡or¡¡Scandinavian¡¡who¡¡found¡¡himself¡¡prospering¡¡in¡¡this¡¡rich¡¡new¡¡country¡¡was¡¡himself¡¡an¡¡immigration¡¡agency¡£¡¡He¡¡sent¡¡back¡¡word¡¡to¡¡his¡¡friends¡¡and¡¡relatives¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Old¡¡World¡¡and¡¡these¡¡came¡¡to¡¡swell¡¡the¡¡steadily¡¡thickening¡¡population¡¡of¡¡the¡¡New¡£

We¡¡have¡¡seen¡¡that¡¡the¡¡enterprising¡¡cattlemen¡¡had¡¡not¡¡been¡¡slow¡¡to¡¡reach¡¡out¡¡for¡¡such¡¡resources¡¡as¡¡they¡¡might¡£¡¡Perhaps¡¡at¡¡one¡¡time¡¡between¡¡1885¡¡and¡¡1890¡¡there¡¡were¡¡over¡¡ten¡¡million¡¡acres¡¡of¡¡land¡¡illegally¡¡fenced¡¡in¡¡on¡¡the¡¡upper¡¡range¡¡by¡¡large¡¡cattle¡¡companies¡£¡¡This¡¡had¡¡been¡¡done¡¡without¡¡any¡¡color¡¡of¡¡law¡¡whatever£»¡¡a¡¡man¡¡simply¡¡threw¡¡out¡¡his¡¡fences¡¡as¡¡far¡¡as¡¡he¡¡liked£»¡¡and¡¡took¡¡in¡¡range¡¡enough¡¡to¡¡pasture¡¡all¡¡the¡¡cattle¡¡that¡¡he¡¡owned¡£¡¡His¡¡only¡¡pretext¡¡was¡¡¡¨I¡¡saw¡¡it¡¡first¡£¡¨¡¡For¡¡the¡¡Nester¡¡who¡¡wanted¡¡a¡¡way¡¡through¡¡these¡¡fences¡¡out¡¡into¡¡the¡¡open¡¡public¡¡lands£»¡¡he¡¡cherished¡¡a¡¡bitter¡¡resentment¡£¡¡And¡¡yet¡¡the¡¡Nester¡¡must¡¡in¡¡time¡¡win¡¡through£»¡¡must¡¡eventually¡¡find¡¡the¡¡little¡¡piece¡¡of¡¡land¡¡which¡¡he¡¡was¡¡seeking¡£

The¡¡government¡¡at¡¡Washington¡¡was¡¡finally¡¡obliged¡¡to¡¡take¡¡action¡£¡¡In¡¡the¡¡summer¡¡of¡¡1885£»¡¡acting¡¡under¡¡authorization¡¡of¡¡Congress£»¡¡President¡¡Cleveland¡¡ordered¡¡the¡¡removal¡¡of¡¡all¡¡illegal¡¡enclosures¡¡and¡¡forbade¡¡any¡¡person¡¡or¡¡association¡¡to¡¡prevent¡¡the¡¡peaceful¡¡occupation¡¡of¡¡the¡¡public¡¡land¡¡by¡¡homesteaders¡£¡¡The¡¡President¡¡had¡¡already¡¡cancelled¡¡the¡¡leases¡¡by¡¡which¡¡a¡¡great¡¡cattle¡¡company¡¡had¡¡occupied¡¡grazing¡¡lands¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Indian¡¡Territory¡£¡¡Yet£»¡¡with¡¡even¡­handed¡¡justice¡¡he¡¡kept¡¡the¡¡land¡¡boomers¡¡also¡¡out¡¡of¡¡these¡¡coveted¡¡lands£»¡¡until¡¡the¡¡Dawes¡¡Act¡¡of¡¡1887¡¡allotted¡¡the¡¡tribal¡¡lands¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Indians¡¡in¡¡severalty¡¡and¡¡threw¡¡open¡¡the¡¡remainder¡¡to¡¡the¡¡impatient¡¡homeseekers¡£¡¡Waiting¡¡thousands¡¡were¡¡ready¡¡at¡¡the¡¡Kansas¡¡line£»¡¡eager¡¡for¡¡the¡¡starting¡¡gun¡¡which¡¡was¡¡to¡¡let¡¡loose¡¡a¡¡mad¡¡stampede¡¡of¡¡crazed¡¡human¡¡beings¡£

It¡¡always¡¡was¡¡contended¡¡by¡¡the¡¡cowman¡¡that¡¡these¡¡settlers¡¡coming¡¡in¡¡on¡¡the¡¡semi¡­arid¡¡range¡¡could¡¡not¡¡make¡¡a¡¡living¡¡there£»¡¡that¡¡all¡¡they¡¡could¡¡do¡¡was¡¡legally¡¡to¡¡starve¡¡to¡¡death¡¡some¡¡good¡¡woman¡£¡¡True£»¡¡many¡¡of¡¡them¡¡could¡¡not¡¡last¡¡out¡¡in¡¡the¡¡bitter¡¡combined¡¡fight¡¡with¡¡nature¡¡and¡¡the¡¡grasping¡¡conditions¡¡of¡¡commerce¡¡and¡¡transportation¡¡of¡¡that¡¡time¡£¡¡The¡¡western¡¡Canadian¡¡farmer¡¡of¡¡today¡¡is¡¡a¡¡cherished£»¡¡almost¡¡a¡¡petted¡¡being¡£¡¡But¡¡no¡¡one¡¡ever¡¡showed¡¡any¡¡mercy¡¡to¡¡the¡¡American¡¡farmer¡¡who¡¡moved¡¡out¡¡West¡£

As¡¡always¡¡has¡¡been¡¡the¡¡case£»¡¡a¡¡certain¡¡number¡¡of¡¡wagons¡¡might¡¡be¡¡seen¡¡passing¡¡back¡¡East£»¡¡as¡¡well¡¡as¡¡the¡¡somewhat¡¡larger¡¡number¡¡steadily¡¡moving¡¡westward¡£¡¡There¡¡were¡¡lean¡¡years¡¡and¡¡dry¡¡years£»¡¡hot¡¡years£»¡¡yellow¡¡years¡¡here¡¡and¡¡there¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡range¡£¡¡The¡¡phrase¡¡written¡¡on¡¡one¡¡disheartened¡¡farmer's¡¡wagon¡¡top£»¡¡¡¨Going¡¡back¡¡to¡¡my¡¡wife's¡¡folks£»¡¨¡¡became¡¡historic¡£

The¡¡railways¡¡were¡¡finding¡¡profit¡¡in¡¡carrying¡¡human¡¡beings¡¡out¡¡to¡¡the¡¡cow¡­range¡¡just¡¡as¡¡once¡¡they¡¡had¡¡in¡¡transporting¡¡cattle¡£¡¡Indeed£»¡¡it¡¡did¡¡not¡¡take¡¡the¡¡wiser¡¡railroad¡¡men¡¡long¡¡to¡¡see¡¡that¡¡they¡¡could¡¡afford¡¡to¡¡set¡¡down¡¡a¡¡farmer£»¡¡at¡¡almost¡¡no¡¡cost¡¡for¡¡transportation£»¡¡in¡¡any¡¡part¡¡of¡¡the¡¡new¡¡West¡£¡¡He¡¡would¡¡after¡¡that¡¡be¡¡dependent¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡railroad¡¡in¡¡every¡¡way¡£¡¡The¡¡railroads¡¡deliberately¡¡devised¡¡the¡¡great¡¡land¡¡boom¡¡of¡¡1886£»¡¡which¡¡was¡¡more¡¡especially¡¡virulent¡¡in¡¡the¡¡State¡¡of¡¡Kansas¡£¡¡Many¡¡of¡¡the¡¡roads¡¡had¡¡lands¡¡of¡¡their¡¡own¡¡for¡¡sale£»¡¡but¡¡what¡¡they¡¡wanted¡¡most¡¡was¡¡the¡¡traffic¡¡of¡¡the¡¡settlers¡£¡¡They¡¡knew¡¡the¡¡profit¡¡to¡¡be¡¡derived¡¡from¡¡the¡¡industry¡¡of¡¡a¡¡dense¡¡population¡¡raising¡¡products¡¡which¡¡must¡¡be¡¡shipped£»¡¡and¡¡requiring¡¡imports¡¡which¡¡also¡¡must¡¡be¡¡shipped¡£¡¡One¡¡railroad¡¡even¡¡offered¡¡choice¡¡breeding¡­stock¡¡free¡¡on¡¡request¡£¡¡The¡¡same¡¡road£»¡¡and¡¡others¡¡also£»¡¡preached¡¡steadily¡¡the¡¡doctrine¡¡of¡¡diversified¡¡farming¡£¡¡In¡¡short£»¡¡the¡¡railroads£»¡¡in¡¡their¡¡own¡¡interests£»¡¡did¡¡all¡¡they¡¡could¡¡to¡¡make¡¡prosperous¡¡the¡¡farms¡¡or¡¡ranches¡¡of¡¡the¡¡West¡£¡¡The¡¡usual¡¡Western¡¡homestead¡¡now¡¡was¡¡part¡¡ranch¡¡and¡¡part¡¡farm£»¡¡although¡¡the¡¡term¡¡¡¨ranch¡¨¡¡continued¡¡for¡¡many¡¡years¡¡to¡¡cover¡¡all¡¡the¡¡meanings¡¡of¡¡the¡¡farm¡¡of¡¡whatever¡¡sort¡£

There¡¡appeared¡¡now¡¡in¡¡the¡¡new¡¡country¡¡yet¡¡another¡¡figure¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Western¡¡civilization£»¡¡the¡¡land¡­boomer£»¡¡with¡¡his¡¡irresponsible¡¡and¡¡unregulated¡¡statements¡¡in¡¡regard¡¡to¡¡the¡¡values¡¡of¡¡these¡¡Western¡¡lands¡£¡¡These¡¡men¡¡were¡¡not¡¡always¡¡desirable¡¡citizens£»¡¡although¡¡of¡¡course¡¡no¡¡industry¡¡was¡¡more¡¡solid¡¡or¡¡more¡¡valuable¡¡than¡¡that¡¡of¡¡legitimate¡¡handling¡¡of¡¡the¡¡desirable¡¡lands¡£¡¡¡¨Public¡¡spirit¡¨¡¡became¡¡a¡¡phrase¡¡now¡¡well¡¡known¡¡in¡¡any¡¡one¡¡of¡¡scores¡¡of¡¡new¡¡towns¡¡springing¡¡up¡¡on¡¡the¡¡old¡¡cow¡­range£»¡¡each¡¡of¡¡which¡¡laid¡¡claims¡¡to¡¡be¡¡the¡¡future¡¡metropolis¡¡of¡¡the¡¡world¡£¡¡In¡¡any¡¡one¡¡of¡¡these¡¡towns¡¡the¡¡main¡¡industry¡¡was¡¡that¡¡of¡¡selling¡¡lands¡¡or¡¡¡¨real¡¡estate¡£¡¨¡¡During¡¡the¡¡Kansas¡¡boom¡¡of¡¡1886¡¡the¡¡land¡­boomers¡¡had¡¡their¡¡desks¡¡in¡¡the¡¡lobbies¡¡of¡¡banks£»¡¡the¡¡windows¡¡of¡¡hardware¡¡storesany¡¡place¡¡and¡¡every¡¡place¡¡offering¡¡room¡¡for¡¡a¡¡desk¡¡and¡¡chair¡£

Now¡¡also¡¡flourished¡¡apace¡¡the¡¡industry¡¡of¡¡mortgage¡¡loans¡£¡¡Eastern¡¡money¡¡began¡¡to¡¡flood¡¡the¡¡western¡¡Plains£»¡¡attracted¡¡by¡¡the¡¡high¡¡rates¡¡of¡¡interest¡£¡¡In¡¡1886¡¡the¡¡customary¡¡banking¡¡interest¡¡in¡¡western¡¡Kansas¡¡was¡¡two¡¡per¡¡cent¡¡a¡¡month¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡easy¡¡to¡¡see¡¡that¡¡very¡¡soon¡¡such¡¡a¡¡state¡¡of¡¡affairs¡¡as¡¡this¡¡must¡¡collapse¡£¡¡The¡¡industry¡¡of¡¡selling¡¡town¡¡lots¡¡far¡¡out¡¡in¡¡the¡¡cornfields£»¡¡and¡¡of¡¡buying¡¡unimproved¡¡subdivision¡¡property¡¡with¡¡borrowed¡¡money¡¡at¡¡usurious¡¡rates¡¡of¡¡interest£»¡¡was¡¡one¡¡riding¡¡for¡¡its¡¡own¡¡fall¡£

None¡¡the¡¡less¡¡the¡¡Little¡¡Fellow¡¡kept¡¡on¡¡going¡¡out¡¡into¡¡the¡¡West¡£¡¡We¡¡did¡¡not¡¡change¡¡our¡¡land¡¡laws¡¡for¡¡his¡¡sake£»¡¡and¡¡for¡¡a¡¡time¡¡he¡¡needed¡¡no¡¡sympathy¡£¡¡The¡¡homestead¡¡law¡¡in¡¡combination¡¡with¡¡the¡¡preemption¡¡act¡¡and¡¡the¡¡tree¡¡claim¡¡act¡¡would¡¡enable¡¡a¡¡family¡¡to¡¡get¡¡hold¡¡of¡¡a¡¡very¡¡sizable¡¡tract¡¡of¡¡land¡£¡¡The¡¡foundations¡¡of¡¡many¡¡comfortable¡¡fortunes¡¡were¡¡laid¡¡in¡¡precisely¡¡this¡¡way¡¡by¡¡thrifty¡¡men¡¡who¡¡were¡¡willing¡¡to¡¡work¡¡and¡¡willing¡¡to¡¡wait¡£

It¡¡was¡¡not¡¡until¡¡1917¡¡that¡¡the¡¡old¡¡homestead¡¡law¡¡limiting¡¡the¡¡settler¡¡to¡¡a¡¡hundred¡¡and¡¡sixty¡¡acres¡¡of¡¡land¡¡was¡¡modified¡¡for¡¡the¡¡benefit¡¡of¡¡the¡¡stock¡­raiser¡£¡¡The¡¡stockraising¡¡homestead¡¡law£»¡¡as¡¡it¡¡is¡¡called£»¡¡permits¡¡a¡¡man¡¡to¡¡make¡¡entry¡¡for¡¡not¡¡more¡¡than¡¡six¡¡hundred¡¡and¡¡forty¡¡acres¡¡of¡¡unappropriated¡¡land¡¡which¡¡shall¡¡have¡¡been¡¡designated¡¡by¡¡the¡¡Secretary¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Interior¡¡as¡¡¡¨stockraising¡¡land¡£¡¨¡¡Cultivation¡¡of¡¡the¡¡land¡¡is¡¡not¡¡required£»¡¡but¡¡the¡¡holder¡¡is¡¡required¡¡to

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