The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1888-12-01
UNJUST LAND LAWS.
What a Correspondent Thinks
OF Ute Reservation
Land Laws.
Aiiiims Deer for the 1sides-rhe wants
Of sh. Upc-r White fsspio-
The County Dads.


the Denver Times. and who was re-
Gently in this section, sends the follow
ing timely communication To his paper.
Mr. stokes Shows up in u pointed way
the disadvantages under which this sec
ton iS iaborlng, under rAist!n. land
Laws. and points out an equitable and
jus, remedy In this instance
A great hardship II being wrought
upon the settlers IN this vicinity
throughout tho en;Ae county, owing 10
the result OF the treaty stipn.ati0ns en-
tered into by the general Government,
and the Ute Indians, when this par, Of
the reservation WAS oed.d ~ them 10
the United States Government. 1, was
agreed tia; they should receive Si,.i
per acre FOR the land, which should b-
paid for rs fast ~ settlers proved M
and paid the Government. Aftcr the
treaty hai gone into effect tile land mas
placed upon The market subject ,o easl,
entry only, wiIicii has had the effect OF
excluding all but III. class Of settlers
who ara able IA enter such Land and pay
the Government pric. Of 81 =, p-r acre.
Many hundred homestead and timber
culture entries would have hr.n made
In this country long ht!og. this time
had no, this state oi a;Islis existed.
The settlement II Garfield eui,n,; and
the growth of the iniu,ifie, hay. been
grca,i, handicapped hy this condition of
aiinirs. which amounts Ia no,hln. less
than discrimination.
While other and less desirable por.
lions OF the State arr .nIcyin. tho fall
benefit accorded Ia all settlers, this
county pfcsrn,s an opening onl, ,o tho
in1u-yei settler aud III. land si-cula,or.
Settler. with limited mean, irslfots of
hd,nrs;raiing or asai!ln. Themselves Of
tho timbrrsuliuTc ne, are excluded AMI
thus ample tine and opportunity Is at.
fnr'iri the sl'cculaios Ia usr irrcsionsi'
~ parties for the pnrpo>c of :ubbiin.
UP large tracts ul itnd.
In other parts OF the Stale settlers
proving up un pf-cmp;ioH .n,rirs arr
privileged 10 enter Homestead adioln'
ing. az timber culture ding. but hstc
/, 4, no, 70. and In consequence Garfield
county Is way behind III. times.
Several tcnc,iic, have b--n suggested
I. nmriiorair tho condition uf affairs In
this county, bu, they have ~ far proven
inofI~rlaai. senator Teller in,roslne-,i
n bill providing that settler who had
attain second irc.rnp;!on iiling should
br privileged ;o io %.
I, was found the provisions .! the bill
would discriminate against settlers o!
limited means, aai against other loc.sl.
ilics. and II was dropped. c,hcr plans
have i.ccn ndyancri equally rs !ncf'
t.ciual. ani the only way seemed 10 al
low matters 10 stand - they arc and
make the hcsi Of It.
When ihr treaty was made with ihs
Ute Indians no reservation was made In
relation 10 mineral laai: the price to l.,
paid WIS the same. si..j pcr acre
Within the confines Of the old tts
reservation there IL m abundance oi
coal land. amounting TO thousands oi
acres. Under tie laws Of the Land
| btTtl t.lN AhaA tthib ~ rAitftA ~
entry gt $40 per arfr where located
away from the line Of n railroad. and
So per acre where located la The vicin
iiy OF such. This is the pTicr nj whic,
the land is held by the Government now
aud under the condition. Of affairs nov
cxtant the Government turns apfcula
tor - aeains, the people. A home
s;cadcr can not get u footing here. bu'
tn. Government can charge SO pei
acre :of land upon which coal has beer
discovered. ard pay the Ute Si.:, pei
acre FOR It and pocket the balance. as 9
speculation on the enterprise OF th,
pioneer. who made the discovery.
An enactment by Congress which
would allow homestead entries in Gar
field county aud provide that the
Government should pay the ttes for til,
same out of the coal land receipts would
work injustice TO no one. would assist
materially In reducing the surplus and
| put Garfield county on an even footing
with other portions of the State. Hun
dreds OF settlers come into the county
who are unfamiliar with the situation
and 90 away because they are unable to
meet the necessary expenditures in.
volvcd in improving an entry which
must be paid for in cash. 1f. however
homestead entities were allowable. hun.
dreds who have turned away would now
he here swelling the industries Of tho
country.