The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1882-02-07

The house public lands committee has
reported to the house Mr.. Belford's bill,
for the leasing of public lands
known as arid or desert lands. The
bill was accompanied by a report drawn
by Judge Belford. The report states
that the bill is experimental in charac-
ter, but that no loss a be occasioned
to the government by the adoption Of
the policy it embodies; while it may be
regarded as an innovation, yet not the
first innovation in the history of the
nation. The original policy of the gov
eminent was to treat the public lands
as a source from whence 1t derived a re-
venue, and as a e of meeting its ex-
penses. 1t was found, however, that
the real profit to the government wa
derived from the settlement and occu-
patton of it's lands, and this led to the
establishment of presumption and home
stead laws, under which the citizen is
allowed to take 100 acres. That the
commissioner of the general land office,
IN his report made to congress in 1879,
as well as in those made in 1876 and
1877, stated the physical and climatic
conditions of that vast body of land ly-
ing west of the Tooth meridian longi-
tude carried it out of the operations of
the homestead and presumption act, and
it was therefore necessary to inaugurate
some new policy looking to their future
disposition. The commissioner recon-
mended that this land should either be
sold in large quantities, or that it should
be given outright to the citizens who
would reclaim it by the construction of
~irrigating bitches or the sinking of ar
tesian wells. This bill suggests the
adoption of a model course, to wit; the
leasing of the public lands for a stated
number of years. At present all this
land is one vast common, enjoyed by
every one who desires to enjoy it, with
out limitation as to the quantity of land
occupied, and without any legal protec-
ton. Sheep men and cattle men, un-
dertaking to enjoy the same rights,
have come into repeated conflicts, and
this interest ~(cattle and Sheep has be-
come of such vast Importance that it is
but needful and just that the govern
ment should throw around this growing
business the shield of its protection.
The report contains a tabulated state
ment, covering a period of ten years,
showing the expectation of cattle and
sheep, from which it appears that, in
1872, the value of horned cattle export
ed amounted to 500, 900, while in 1881
it amounted to over S14, 600, 900; that
the value of sheep exported in 1872 was
$40, 900, while in 1881 it amounted to
over 500, 900. The report also contains
a statement of the amount of fresh beef
and cured beef shipped to Europe dur
ing the same period, and which also
shows an immense growth in that time.
1t further shows that the leasing of
government lands is not new; that it
was adopted in New South Wales in
1861, and in Queensland colony in 1868.
1t is conceded that the present land
touching these arid and desert
lands must be changed, and the ques-
ton is whether they shall be sold in
large quantities to eastern capitalists to
be held for speculative purposes, or
whether they shall be leased in moder-
atelY large tracts to the citizens of the
wherein they are located.
The committee reported Mr.. Belford's
bill to the house without any recon-
mendation, pro or con, and yet it is cer-
tain that more than a majority of the
were In favor of the measure,
but being a new policy, and a radical
departure from that which obtained
heretofore, the committee contented it.
self by instructing Bedford to submit
the report Of which the above is an alb
stract.
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