Fergus County argus., 1886-10-07
Total gross valiic...........s22,3o ,3oO, 900
CHANGES or LAND LAWS.


CHANGES or LAND LAWS.
Congress has shown n disposition to
change all Of the laws under which citizens
can obtain titles to lands. save the home
stead act. This attempt would never he
made ii the members were familiar with the
situation. There is not one quarter scc-
tion in ten, on an average over this terri
tory, on which a man, however industri-
Gus, could settle, make II home, and obtain
u subsistence. lie must have irrigation to
raise any crop, and il Of little or no value
without water. The Desert Land Act, il
only approximately carried out is more
favof;i bile TO the government. the country.
and the settlers than eth of the land
acts. The government gets tbs much for its
poorest land as it ever receives for it's
richest in the Mississippi valley. the country
Is made habitable, and the settler with his
land secures the means to make il produc
tive. Some pieces Of land favorably situa-
ted can be irrigated at comparatively little
cost, while other very large tracts can only
he reclaimed by bitches of great length and
cost, beyond the means Of any single ret
tier. To encourage the conrt ruction Of
such irrigating canals by the most availa-
bile means IL is clearly and in every way to
the interest of the general government.
As before stated, IA repeal of the Desert
Land Act would greatly retard the settle
ment o. thir territory and prevent the re-
dempti"n OF millions VI acres Of land.
Whatever may be true elsewhere, do not
believe there are five per cent VI cases Of
fraudulent entry. Of lands under any OF
the laws in the whole territory. The gen.
eral SUSPENSION Of entries to await special
investigation is working untold hardship
ON our scattered fronticrsmen, who have
To make long journeys at heavy cost to
look alter their titles. Ii discourages inn
proveienfs, and encourages litigation and
matchmaking. II is not the spirit of our
laws that ninety-nine innocent ones should
suffer m order that one guilty one be
brought to justice. II is generally felt
among our people as hardship and unjust
that after all the best lands
III the country are disposed Of. severer re-
strictions should be laid upon those willing
to venture SD lar from "a market and re-
deem the poorer waste land that remains.
Our territorial legislature will he in ses-
sion January next, and the difficult task
VIII devoive upon it to endeavor to frame
laws within the restriction of the act of the
late session Of congress forbiidng all special
legislation and limiting public indebtedness
To such narrow bounds that u large share
III public Improvement contemplated will
have ton abandoned, such as public roads.
bridges, school and other buildings, etc.
To enact a la. forbilding a free people
VINO oti-it 10 he, ana are the best Judges Of
their wants, requirements and ability to
pay, from encumbering their own property
Ia secure the necessar. improvements, and
u 1t Increases or makes their total intiebt-
'iness over Tour per cent. of their taxa BILE
properly. seems to me unjust and oppres-
We, and win only tend toprevent the .Ievel.
,pment of this and all other territories
Congress overlooked the important fact !
hat an Indebtedness Ia an amount equal to |
20 per cent. of the taxable property of ~
new territory like this. with only about ten
Der cen. of its possible wealth in mineral |
agricultural and other resources developed,
,onli ne comparatively a less burden and !
'asier paid than an Indebtedness equal to |
'niy two per cent. of the taxable property
u "a iul grown state, with its possible re- |
ources almost fully Developed. And that !
he necessities of such indebtedness are
many times more in a new than in an old I
Immunity. Hence ! would urge the modi- |
i:ation of this restrictive enactment.
Despairiny of legislation from congress
Idaptei To their special wants, and sirt I
bout with restrictions from doing any !
hing Tor themselves So long as ;heir terri 4
oriai condition continues, the feeling grows
apidly among our people that the time /,
a- come Tor the formation OF a state gov
riimcEi aud admission as Il SOVEREIGN 1T ate