Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1877-05-24

WE published, not long since, IN extract
from the speech of Senator Booth, OF Cali
foreia, in favor of the bill for the reclama-
nation of desert lands, together with q copy
of the bill as subsequently passed, and the
. necessary instructions for taking up lands
under such Act, as Issued by the authorities
of the General Land Office.
Senator Booths arguments In favor of the
bill were quite forciblc, and the Act looked
plausible enough upon Its face. But inst
now it appears that the people Of California,
at least, are beginning to view the matter in
a different light. They have discovered "a
niger in the woods" and the leading jour
the great land steal" And 1t does appear,
from the best knowledge we have been able
to obtain that it is a gigantic land grab, cal
culated to work injury to that State. Large
tracts of land are being entered by the mon
led kings, who will hold it for speculation,
and thus, instead OF causing said barren por-
tons to be settled, it will place it beyond the
reach of the poor man who needs a home,
and put it into hands where it is more likely
to remain unproductive than under the old
system. As to other States and Territories,
we have seen nothing to Indicate any mater
ial change. In Montana there does not
seem to be that desire for domain which eX-
lists in other countries. The chief reason of
this is our facilities for raising stock, and
Our rich mines, which offer such q large
field for speculation that the man who has
capital to invest is not likely to purchase
land, even at government prices, aud wait
the slow process of time for it to become
valuable. The more active investments are
better, or at least promise quicker returns,
yet nothing could be surer than the invest
ment in lands. There are a few localities
where land is being located uhder the Act,
but as a general thing our people seem to be
paying no attention to it, and it is, perhaps,
better so, since the division of agricultural
districts into small farms, and their distribu-
ton among the people, produces q much
better state of affairs than exists where a
few capitalists W the country and farming
is carried on by hired help or tenants. But
there is no question but that the Investment
in lands in our Territory would prove re-
munerative. The arabic portion, though
NOT q hundredth part Of it is yet claimed, is
small III proportion to the mineral and pas
toral region. and when the former a,e fully
developed and our vast mineral resources
are brought into requisition, it will require
every available foot of soil to support the
population required to be engaged, and he
WhoIs SO fortunate rs to own a good, large
farm will be we'll off. We trust that our ao-
rIcultural domain may never fall into the
hands Of spectators, but we must say to
our farmer friends that u better opportunity
never offered itself for them to extend their
farms and become the possessors OF all the
Land they are likely to- need. The law is a
bad one, and will tall short of the purposes,
Intended and probably be repealed at the
Ne&t session of Congress. We would there
tore advise our farmers to taxi advantage of
the opportunity afforded and secure plenty
OF elbow room. Land is almost yalueless
now, but it will not remain so but a few
years, ana many of us will live to regret it
il we fail to embrace the present opportun-
ity. Many may not see the necessity of this
since they cannot, at present, farm all the
government land they wish, but a change
must surely come, and that, too, in Il few
wears. Tie terms of the new law are such
that there j. scarcely a farmer in the country
who is not able to comply with its provi-
and no time should be lost in making
t'le desired selection and. filing the necessary
papers.
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