Arizona weekly citizen., 1888-08-04

. | rinety-hve thousand three hCndred and
 forty eight acres fl the choicest land in 4, Arizona, which is equal in extent to the
 great state of Massachusetts, is claimed
 by alien land claimants having no m l- o terisl interests in the advancement of
 our territory, save the qualification of {, their selfish ends and the epjoymen of 3 their personal sggrsndizsment-reslly . an octapus that bRs stretched out its
 slimy arms and Is extracting the very
 life blood of honest settlers. Truly the
 amount of land claimed by :bese parties
 Is an empire itself, and where Is the
 state or territory in this nation that
 would not feel it's blighting effects. Ex
 tract this amount of the very best land
 and water from the resources of any of
 the etetes, and l venture it would ma
 terally effect tEeir resources and stimu-
 late to vigorous protest the most cen
 servstive of them.
 LANDS FOR TAXATION PURPOsEs.
 Estimating these 5,l95,3fS acres of E land, In this new ierutOry, at the maxi
 mum government price, S250 per acre,
 which would te very moderate price.
 taking into consideration it's being the
 choicest land, well watered and selected
 at sn early date when lands were free I run Ol hIg k4Lgs ktt
 e % per acre We have the sum of SIP
 9SS.37O.O0 added Co the taxable resources
 of this territory. Gnd 8. the present. ter
 ritoTisl rates of taxation of S06S, s rey-
 enue of SS1 ,S26.73.
 This valuation of the land vouii yie'd
 to the differen. counties in which they
 are situated, st the present rates which
 will fully average tao gtr cent, tLc nice
 sum of S2j9. .161 40 6npualiy, sufficient
 at least to materially Gssist our oyer
 burdened taxpayers 10 the different
 cOuntles m carving the weight of cJanty
 government, especially as a large share
 of this burden consists in cxpenses iu-
 cured by litigation resulting from s.ri'es |
 and fueds incident to large landed es-
 tRtes,
 The importance of early action by the |
 government in adjusting these clai.ls | | must appear manifest. The vas. in !
 pOrsanoe to the territory as well Gs ju !
 tlce to the government would seem to |
 demand this. Ito logger the delay tue I
 Inore important 1t becomes ss the vIri- |
 lRnt seeker after public domain becomes | more actiye Gs ihe value of land iu.
 creRses and 1 hcnr quite frequently of | | new claims or thIs character thl: axe uov
 m process of incubation, Erd ia due AAAAAN NAAA NOubF4tf hf AIt hFI-lrA sl XIII. office for consideration, ard severa! of
 them covering claims already cn fife ard | which have been recommended for con tirmation by my predecessors. As lands ] become valuable the very air becomes inpTegnated with new Spanish an,I Mex l Iesn private land claims. and the oul-
 look indicates greatly increased labor iu this department in this office.
 LAND CLAIMANTS CoSTrNTED.
 The claimants under thcse nlleSe5
 grants have 10 inducements to ur-e for
 wsrd their spe-dJ adjustment beyond | procuring report from the Surveyor General recommending them for ccnf-- nation. This giv them p0-ssssion ns 'he land and taGs oDGble- them to eject settlers and ex Tcise sli powers incident tU lawful tiil-. They are perfectly con . tented with this stgte of things md are , ss happy ss the old land Barons of Bag land, fsriug sumptuously every day. clad ID purple and fine linen. snd short i ly We may expect 10 sec the Bsroui.l ', castles GlltieIInS in this Hand Cf suL shine and sllyor" with the sppsL dggs of {; modern serf5 and dependents tC do their |, bidding.
 By these siricsUros do uot wish tn i,r n understood as passing upon the va!Ii,t, a or invaldlty ot these claims. Many of ( them may have uelt and I will b.r. i, say that as far 8s this office IS concerned regard this great government as too a powerful and just to wish to deprive F any one of his jus, rights. The govern |, ment asks no favcrs and should have a none to give.
 DELAY CT CONGRESSIONAL ACTION. e
 Since the year 1879. after reports had V, been submitted to congress ID regard to q several Of these alleged land grants. h thirteen other reports have been sub tt mitted from th's Territory, and yet pu sJ action hos en taken. During this iu period of inactivity oa the par. of Con. bj lress, several bills have been uu,ie, com 'lueretior, having in view the organizs- at non or commissions or courts tO adius; co 'hese cIRiinS, but they all have been de- rt ested or failed to meet ihe approval of tiv Congress. and a. the present session a, Cu east three bIlls are pow pending. to sc- K. 'omplish the Same pnrPose. cc My investigation of these bills. a4 Li ghOls, leads Co but one conclusion. sn,I ,iC nat Is that their object is 10 divcst Inc pr and cepsrtment of the government of z0l iI power To pass upon and investigate tiO leir merits or dement's and coDfar .oC hese duties on the courts specially ere or, ted Tor the purpose. Pswars nn.l Hr uties Grc conferred upon the U. <. Pc VI scuiing Attorneys of the terrI;orteq Cs v.r .rizona and New Mexico 10. q, mi i, ver armony with their office, sud As b1,bcy deg lese public officers are already ove, ua 'oEded with work aud largely in arrears rls lth the same, the object of imDosir'r, by iditlona labors on them is not essiiv on ld Intelligently comgrehended to n addition to this l have failed to lu lana claimant under these Hllege5 ants .at WHO is not ID hearty sympathy F l'h one or the other of these bIils. md cd nO ls I0' Nllliag to spend 'Ime and m. oney to have them enacted into Tag-s ot lt hss always been uneypIai.sIis ., th. e ever since | assumed the dnri.s et will IS office, why the inyestigatio, Cf to C 'anish and Mexican lauG gran+s s,I crn. GIT solustment, should difFr frr,, w;-l her duties oi the Secretary of the In be 'i0r aod the Commissioner ot the Gen wit ~ Lana Oihc-.ln land matterr. Vh-r trut ny phss upon tbe riEbts and priyiIec.s resp settlers on railroad land grant. ,,5 li,r 70 upon the n zhts of rsii.rtfstCts1 info lds of acres of the public domain Tba H. 'his or settlers dominated ovtr bv r,1 nm id8' Hs well Bs the sacred rights of
 Neis on The public domain, are cer- Hov nly as important as the rights of mere Sr imants to lands, who clam title from
 oreign government, based on anti si ited and musty records of doubsfnI befo Ina land da,.-. tO iu nt ia I,II- opa'; or thls govern reRsl ,n ali o1a.t'I.pP pPeu 70 primarily pass Cans nd o- q h.oaS thst may arise at CT vi re-s;es r, .eRsta 10 land con- give al st hsnd =. S @ ane uata and the ma the e, to investigate, and the nncras s;jo , ed ability and authority to deal canal y and promptly with all claims,ts o.aaa then should the large land cIairn, G,ani idant;6sd r,i,L .L ntltner residents 14G, ,0( muniiy, not in reality aliens to a,s n soii-oe especially provided for bv nnds,