Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1879-11-20

homestead. presumption, timber culture Oh
desert land acts, in the great West. as also
III the interests Of tie tecning millions ui
future generations, we enter our most sol
emn protest against it. II the real inter
ests OF the many, and not exclusively
these Of few. are 10 be consulted, then
the contemplated project will never be
seriously entertained by our national law
makers.
True, there arc at present millions OF
acres OF arid and almost nnproIuctiye
land in Wyoming. Colorado. New Mexico,
Arizona and Nevada that appears to BE-
comparatively worthless, except rs indif-
tercnt pasturaee Tor cattle or shecp-land,
that, in the absence Of timber and water.
appears to be unsuitable tor settlement or
ctiluration-yet, in the present condition
OF human progress, and in the face OF
I probable and pros pectiye discoveries and
inventions. who shall dare to predict that
those ''arid wastes will forever remain as
they now are: There is no known limits
either TO the resources OF nature or the
inventive genius of man. The orchards.
and vineyards, and luXuriant fields of
grain which now surround the happy
homes of thousands in Southern Calitor-
MIA have, within the past two years. sprung
up as If by magic from the very heart OF
what YVES considered IAN arid waste"
Human invention and enterprise. by
developing the resources of nature. have
supplied the lacking but necessary elements
and ''caused the wilderness 10 bud and
blossom as the rose
The ''arid waste of Dakota and Mon
tana, known as Hazen's Desert, in response
10 the magic touches OF intelligent indus
try. has become transformed into fields OF
unsurpassed fertility. Experience is dem
onstrating that the undulating plateaus,
the more broken and rolling foothills, and
even the sioping sides of the mountains of
Montana are all susceptible of high state
Of cultivation and productrencsS> and they
are evidently destined in the, not very re-
mote. future TO be dotted al over with the
neat cottage homes Of 4 free, Industrious
and intelligent people.
In all the important trusts committed 10
the General Government there are none
moro sacred or traught with greater re-
sponsibilities than that of guarding and
protecting tie ricltful inheritance OF Tie
rising and future generations of our com
mon country. The extensive land grant,
made TO railroad corporations during the
past twenty years are now generally &c
hnoWledgCl to have been acts of doubtful
proprieiy. resultincs often in great hard |
ship and injustice to tie hardy pioneers +,
who, with limited means. have had to pus!. |
out from the over-croWied communities |
OF the Eastern States and the old world to !
seek for suitable locations in the star |
West" The best and most desirable loca-
tioHs are usually found along the line OF |,
such subsidized railroads and can only be |
purchased, when the title is vested in a
corporation, at good, round figures.
But a change in the general land laws.
making provision for disposing OF cny
portion of the public domain
in large tracts. to individuals or compa-
MES. at nominal figures. would be infinitely
worse in its results than all the land grants
corporations. The lard accruing TO rail
roads are generally for sale to actual SET
tiers at some reasonable price, but those.
" hen once entered, would be withheld
from sale and occupancy, and thus the set
Element and improvement Of the country
would not be indefinitely retarded but the
hands and hearts Of home-inahing and
industry would become par
ilyzcd thereby. The very proposition is
not only suggestive Of material and finan-
,ial injustice to the working classes-to
hose whose laudablc ambition prompts
them to secure pieces Of land upon which
70 erect homes for themselves and f!ni-
les. however humble those homes may be.
cut ii is also suggestive of such extremes
n circumstances and consequent social i'll
qualities rs would prove inconsistent, if
lot intolerable under our present form of
government. We trust that Congress will
lot be mislcad into the belief that there i
ire any large tracts of worthless lands on
he eastern slope OF the Rocky Mountains c
hat it will be well to dispose of at any /
,rice. If it shall be conceded that there G
re considerable portions suitable only for G
grazing purpose and which can not be dis +
posed OF at the minimum price, or which u
will probably yield no revenue to the Gov !
lnment tor many years to come, then let r
congress pass a law by which such lands |
an be leased to stock-raisers for a term of I
ears. at five or ten cents TO the acre, ac- O
ording to quality, giving them the exclu-
i've right and use of such stock ranges as
hey may select. during the continuance of \
he lease. BY this means the Government f
ould not only realize Il handsome revenue
Or most, il not all. of the so-called desert =
lnds in the Northwest and Southwest, =
mt it could also preserve them intact for Fl
hose who in the future will desire to be- h
ONE bona tfde residents OF the lands, I'M a
er the provisions of existing laws.