Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1885-12-15
TIE TAMx4 o. sPAsKs

aus AAAs~W - . AoA"s
Lewiston Idaho, Telles.l
Mr.. Sparks is being educated Dthe
public expense. The process is Not .
pleasant e.e for the pupil, and not
profitable Tor the instructors; but it
promises, before completed,to be very
thorough. He has got far enough in
his studies to have learned there i
such section as the northwest, that
some hundrsds Of thousands Of settlers
live there, and that their rights have
been invaded and their possession en-.
damaged by unnecessary aud idiotic
ruling Of the Land Office. So much
seems to have been brought to Mr..
Spark. aaemesshs Raiop by h. ,nsar
approsch4efs . meeting 81 Congress.
and the imminent probability that he
will be called to y reckoning for the
injury he hss dcse. g IL appsars now
that he has been giving some atten.
ton to che land laws, with not wholly
Improbable result. Little fault can
DO found by his ruling that person
who hes taken up Homestead and
committed it tor cash cannot after.
wards secure claim under the pre-
e,nption law. As to tho foreshadowed
ruling that no settler can take land
under both the prs.emptien and home.
stead laws, it would puzzle any body
but NJ. Sparka to know how it 10 to |
got rid Of 4 law distinctly permitting |
the settler to- do exactly that thing.
But trifle like this does not disturb
Mr.. Sparks or arrest his tumultuous
course. an 1t 10 probable, indeati, that
the whole subject of the land laws
will got IN overhauling At the next
session Of Congress. Attempts to re.
form have been made again and again
without success. When tho public
domain was pract,oally unlimited, the
nation could afford to be prodigal with
its possessions. Now, the rapid dis
appearance Of public lands, with the
increase OF population aud the set.
ting Of nnoccupied territory, has
shown the need Of an economy that
should have been praeticed earlier.
There is 20 inherent wrong in per.
hitting . single settler to take $40
acres 81 land d Ne u now able 70 do,
under the pre-ewption, homestead and
timber culture acts. Farms are larg
er in the Northwest than in the East,
and different methods of cultivation
seem to require greater area. Nor,
ia the majority OF cases where lands |
have been 80 taken, vas it done pro.
badly 50 much with an idea Of getting
q large individual possession Is fsr !
the purpose Of providing forthe mem.
bers of family not yet grown to
manhood. But all these wants can |
no longer be grati6ed 1t 10 neces.
sary ta eo6yerye 6,& disappearing land |
resourses} hn4 q restrict the laws, to |
see thAf ti,sy krS faithf,sily executsd, |
and to- psss With p"blic lands. hence.
forth only to those who intend to set.
tie upon and thoroughly cultivate
them. For this reaaon some changer
made by Congress and not by a de-.
partmeat ruling, will probably Ia
found advisable. Meantime, Mr..
Sparks would exhibit more satisfac.
tory mental Improvement If he were
to show less anxious consideration for
the PROSPECTIVE settlar who may DO in.
iured in the future, and more for the
actual settler who is injured At the
present moment by the arbitrary,
useless and imbecile ruling suspend.
ing the Issue Of S6nal patent. lie
will no doubt know more by the time
that Congress gets through with him.
Mr.. Lamar has already found it neces.
sary to take him in hand and overdue
two Of his arbitrary and illegal decis.
ions. In spite OF his picturesque cru.
SADIE for effect. and his dema9oeue
protestations4 - 81 = sf,naity u cor.
po'at,ons, No - a Al. Nosths
west have hope that before these mat.
tiers are anaiiv passed upon new
Commissioner. who 6osnh,nes honesty
and integrity with seal. Will be Ia
charge Of the a4airs Of che General
LanaOnoe. sgc