The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1890-05-14
THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.
The High-Water Marks Of Settlement
Not Yet Been Reached.

1t has often been predicted that, BY
the present year, nearly all the public
lands which it is practicable for individ-
uals to locate" and improve under the
land laws would have been occupied, and
that the number of entries of Govern
ment lands would have begun to de-
cline.
But there is as yet no sign that any
such high-water mark of settlement has
been reached. Indeed, the report of the
United States Land Office for 1889 shows
that the last fiscal year was marked by
the largest number of patents of land for
agricultural purposes ever made.
During three years 1856. 1887 and 1888,
the patents issued for agricultural lands
had averaged about thirty thousand .
year. But for the fiscal year ending
with June, 1889, more than seventy
thousand patents were issued.
Though many Of these patents, which
are practically the Governments deed OF
the land to the settler, were upon en-
tries or settlements made few years
before, the new entries have about kept
pace with the patents.
Still Uncle Sans farm is not ex.
hausted. Up to last June. only about
one-half of the area of the two Dakotas
had been entered for land claims. In
doubtedly it is the better half which has
been taken. but that which remains in
cludes much excellent land.
In several of the Western States and
Territories there are hundreds Of settlers
who are unable to obtain the patents
or deeds for their land. They are mere
ly ''squatters," or legally unauthorized
occupants; but the Government toler-
ates them, and their occupancy, if it is
persisted in, will in nearly all cases be
equivalent to title.
In Idaho. soon to be State, only .
little more than One-Seventh of the area
of the Territory has been surveyed. The
settler who locates upon unsurveyed
lands is. of course, only a squatter, no
matter how valuable his improvements
may be, since the government can not
give him patent to his land.
Within few years, many millions Of
acres Of good land are likely to
be made available for settlement through
the purchase by the government of vast
tracts not needed by the Indian tribes,
and through the forfeiture of land
grants by railroads which have not COM
piled with the conditions under which
their lands were given.
The nature of the claim of certain
tribes of Indians to vast tracts of land
on the plains and prairies is profoundly
affected by the disappearance of game
from these regions. When the Indian
tribes lived by the chase. they required
vast tracts to range over in pursuit of
their game. Now, throughout most Of
the Western country. the game has in
great part disappeared. The buffalo,
which was the plains Indians chief
source of subsistence. is now complete
IL gone, and all the fur-bearing animals
are practically exterminated.
The Indians, therefore. must either be
supported by the Government or must
maintain themselves by farming or graz
ing.
In either case they have no further
use for the great tracts which were for
merly their hunting-grOunds. and in the
nature Of things, this land must come
into the hands Of those who will make
use of it.
In the meantime. land grants to rail-
roads, amounting to more than twenty
one million acres. have been suspended,
and are awaiting the legislation by
Congress which is necessary for their
forfeiture, or cancellation. This land
is nearly all good. and its area is about
equal to that Of the State Of Maine.
Even though the land which is now
available for settlement in homesteads
or farms. and which does not appear to
be in immediate danger of giving GU.
must some time be exhausted, there
will still remain . vast area. which, by
general system of irrigation, can be
made to support larger population than
the United States as yet contains
Youths Companion.