The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-10-28
THE PUBLIC LANDS.
HardShipS and Wrongs Resulting from
the Present Laws.
A CLASSIFICATION NEEDED.
Lefthanded Work of the Commission
Appointed by Congress.


and invented the plan of constructing great internal
improvements by the use of the vast unoccupied
lands of the United States in the West. the whole
country became enamoured OF his success ana or the
extraordinary material results that followed It, I'M
medatey following the construction of the Illinois
Central Railway Congress heaped grant upon
another to railroads in every Northwestern State
and Territory. until the great scheme conceived ac-
cordng to the best judgment of the country in the
wisest and most statesmanlike manner, swiftly de-
generated into the lowest lobbying and merest job
berry. The moral sentiment of the people
shocked at the corruption of the promoters Of land
grants and the wasteiulness Congress in making
the grants.
AS natural and inevitable result revolution in
the sentiment OF the country demanded that
lands be granted by Congress for any purpose.
but that all be held for the benefit and OF the
actual settler. SO that for more than ten years no
grant has been made in aid of internal improvement
lands have been sternly heidi by the Executive
Department of the government. except only as to
entries under the Homestead and Presumption laws.
In this connection the Executive Department, it
should be understood (the President). has power
under the law by proclamation, to offer any and
all surveyed public lands for sale at public auction,
ut the minimum price of 81 25 per acre. and after
such offer has been made any person may go to the
Land Office and purchase from 40 to 500 600 acres at
the price fixed by law No President. however. since
James Buchanan has issued such proclamation,
and therefore all lands held subject only to
tual settlement under the Homestead and Pre-emp-
ton laws This policy unquestionably wise
when applied to the rich agricultural lands of Hi
nois, Minnesota, Wisconsin. Iowa, Eastern Kansas
and Nebraska, and is equally unwise and absurd
when applied to that enormous region lying between
the 10th parallels of longitude. and in
places far east the 9th. and stretching down
the British possessions to the Gulf OF Mexico
and the southern line of the United States. il
area so great that France, Germany, Austria and
Hungary would scarcely cover half OF it.
THE REMAINING PUBLIC LANDS.
The land area OF the United States is 3,5s ,23S
square miles, or 2291 352. 230 If you add the
water OF the great lakes and rivers the total
area of the United States four million square
miles. The public lands in the different States and
Territories. leaving out-because they never
had any-the thirteen original States and the
admitted States of Vermont, Kentucky, Tennessee
Maine. Texas and West Virginia and the District Of
Columbia, amounted originally to 1.s14.769.910
acres. considerably more than two-thrds of the
entire landed territory OF the Omitted States OF this
| there had been, up to 1878, surveyed 714,572737
acres leaving unsurveyed 11o1. 197 1873 None
of the unsurveyed land had been sold, and q great
deal of surveyed had not BEEN is estimated that
the unsod public lands Of the United States amount
to about 100000 900 Less than half of the
lands disposed of were sold for cash or donated in
small lots to actual settlers under the Homestead
| and Presumption acts The remainder. aggregating
| upward of DEC. 0uO.000 acres, donated to rail-
roads, other internal improvements. to States for
| agricultural colleges, &c. The surface of unsold
public lands exceeds in area by over 600
| miles. all Europe outside OF Russia.
| THE ARID REGIONS.
While no accurate statement be made of the
relative proportions of arid, AGRICULTURAL mineral
and timber lands embraced within the limits named
Nrnra tain 70 hast
| informed authorities on the subject. and as shown
by tho surveys made portions OF this land. it is
safe say that least ninety cent of this vast
area arid land. four per agricultural. three
| per cent timber and three per cent mineral or
course these proportions largely conjectura but
it is believed that when the surveys completed
they will be found to vary much from the truth.
very considerable portion OF this arid Land is
absolutely worthless for any purpose The large do
| main OF akali land would not be bought by any
body at two cents an acre for any productive pnr-
tor grazing. and probably one-half OF it presents
the finest pastufage for cattle. sheep and horses to
be found in this country or on the face of the globe
But owing the poverty of the soil and the charsc
ter of the bunch grasses (that cover onehalf
| of the ground 1t requires ten times many acres
to support the number OF cattle is needed in
q country having u sufficient rainfall. Perhaps two
| thirds of the arid lands reaching down the eastern
slope of the Rocky Mountains in Montana, Wyoming.
Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico are al
| ready occupied by cattle and sheep rasers. Though
occupied and utilized-much of it to it's full capac
ity-itte. indeed, almost mono or 1t, has ever been
bought from the government:
Inc on,, Pu,onases In-s.o ~ 20 ,s..
i covering lanu haVins spr.nss VI SIeeas y. living
water upon theln, wIelc stey ue'o.op ILL., - l
| put inc great mass 90 not oven naAo .hese put
chases. Ing rson - sl,es ~ az. ~. Pc ' ~
mas made nihseii aclmsinteu VIII, tue sou ai'o v.i
mate or TINS region. 10 successfully engage ia INC
cattle business mere rcIuites wnS' - caeu IN .no
eastern states aconsiueraole sums ransue
from SooooV W siVoo'oov aio ~, az .'V.s ~
range from Moh,aia W ieAs. ~ .ao me-. a., .a ,
Ing these sums haa 70 puy Oh .ae 'ne IAN.
upon which tner eat.ie anu sneep rang, ~ Lo
present price, II woula COST tnen more 'na T uouue
the money .ncy nsvss 80 sn.,. % 80 49,
tne,eiore, worAs IN -, @ .; - rnosa co. 1Io
wishes 10 puy 1rIu anus io siaIns pui p ~, ~.
acres, the eg limit ., sinsie s m i" 81.
40 goou' anu NC cvuio io =. A. ~ ps
acre or II e o,v e 81 ,a a,,c,,t bamasteais
q. rs lilo snee $500, H. ave. ,ron, t,mher or
my vi ons . n,'u I,;, ,shara 'ratbno Will rrow
water, upon sio'1 P 'n huT.,., $3.50 te nj
on ears1 a, p,hin ts limits above alluded 20