Arizona weekly citizen., 1888-08-04

special lssisiation? Ii the land depart ment IS competent to adjust questions Oi right between tbe government and the 5npaIRtively poor settler, why IS 1t nctcoIpetens to adjust the claims of quasi isnd bErons, who neither tOIl nor do they spin" to advance tbe material in,erC 'a Of our territory. IL may be
 urged tERt these claims are based on treaty stipu atiOns and hence require 8d
 dItiOngl safeguards thrown around them. Organize mEissiODs and establish speclG! courts Hs numerous as you please eventually most of these claims will find
 theIr wsy to tho U. 5. Supreme Court. the oaiy acknowledged tribunal that can digest treaty slIIulatiOns and do justice ID the premises. The preliminary work can just Gs we'll be done by the Secre- tsry of the Interior ss by inferior Courts sni commissions, and for that matter his decision ss regards the validity or IU- validity of these claims, would prove in law CUd equity to bc quite as sa;iEiGc- toy e. any other mode. The present Secretary of the InseriCr ig Gcknow!edg- cd t0 be at the head oi ihe legal pro fes sIon and ranks 6s a etgtesnan. far above doing inn t;ce snyone, and Com missioner or tne General Lead OlIice equally ranks ss far Rad hohest mao, aud whose decisions in land matters are regarded Cs eminenuy just and proper.
 TAX THE LAND GRANTS.
 An economic question presents itself in regard 10 ihs lGieG volume of Private Ll-d Claims now pending in this terii- tory. May good citizens and property holders openly state that if these lands are Co be source of erd 'ess li,igpti1n and another decade pass before they are rd- igssed, fl it would not be best,1 where o!a.ms are presented of apparent merit, 1 promptly confirm them, and thus enable l tte assessor to list the same aod the :ax collector to collect as he collects from | adjoining settlers who have now to bear the heat and burthens of the day gs well. | It IS known that these grants embrace | lsTgc bOdl0s of land which would he | sssessable as an entirely, aud that the | owners of the grants would soon find it | d5sIrable tO dispOssess themselves of | their enormous holdings. and give the I hOnea settler seeking Q home Q chance for habiiation. Honest assessors and collectors with . competent bosd Cf could do much in this line. aGd it would be attended 90 with sncat. ness aud dispatch.
 In dismissInQ this subject of Private Land Claims have only tO say that ardsntly desire the speedy settlement of these questions -procras:ination IS mimi c.l tO the best interests of thls territory ! the adopted home of myself and family iong before l ever anticipated position under the Government that would epa- bl" mo 10 say what 1 now here record
 l blend for her that she be saved from l ;he eucrOachments of the hands of the destroyer, and young and feeble as she k that the hands of her delegate now n Congress be upheld and strengthen .i in this manly efforts to have justice ilne cur people.
 APPRoPRIATIcSs FOB PRIVATE LAND
 CLAnEs.
 What l have sB;d above in regari so ( DnvCte land claims may be regarded as 'oIei2n 70 my duties a5 Surveyor Gene -s!, uat lts FG .t importance to tEp vital 2 interests ct jhis territory is TT ouly ex- ,usc. In addition Co this i womb res lcciiciiy call the Ettesgion of Consress ! ! To ihr importance Of enabling this office, ]y ad eUa-e appropriations Co perform incumbent uties. at ihis writing l | ! ;-n unable to say what disposition has 'e'- made. or IS likely tO be made of tie eV-fGl bills now pending before Con- .s''is For sde settlement OtPrivate Land )lH il but Iu the absence of new Iepis- atloH ] Cm bGsIn& my remarks on exis'- [ ng laws, and from this stand PoIrt they c .;e C. be considered,
 Iec appropriations heretofore made y Congress for tEe investigation of pri- ate land claims in this Offca have boep | = 8 fOilOws:- 2