Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1890-08-16
SURVEYOR GENERAL $ REPORT.
Another Earnest Plea for the Adjust
ment of Private Land Claims
in New Mexico
An Illustration of the Small Holdings
How Such Lands We're Acquired
Old and New Policies.

1890, has been duly forwarded to the COM
missioner OF the general land office. The
report shows that $40 miles of lines OF
public surveys have been run and estab-
lished, and 273 plats have been made in
the office. The demand for both public
and mining surveys is increasing. Pro-
ceeding to the subject of land grants the
report continues;
There is no subject that more justly de-
mands the immediate attention of the
government of the United States than this
matter of unsettled land claims. The
number and character OF unsettled claims,
so lar as they have been filed in this Of
flee, is given in the annexed statement
marked "Ex. c." But there is also a
very great number OF just claims that have
not been filed.
New Mexico was first taken possession
of by Spain, through an expedition COM
manded by Coronado, just $50 years ago,
before De Soto had reached the Missis-
sippl 1t was permanently settled before
1900. From that time till 1921 title to
land within its borders was gradually
passing from the government Of Spain to
private parties. In similar manner the
republic of Mexico, by wise colonization
laws, endeavored to promote the settle
ment and private ownership of lands,
while the governors acting under her
authority often gave away land with what
seems to us reckless prodigallty.
When New Mexico became part of
the United States it contained popula-
ton of $4,000. Some of these were
wealthy and held great tracts of land,
often given them as reward for military
services. Although smaller holdings of
land are more Consonant with our ideas
of what is best for free community,
still it must not be forgotten that the gov
eminent of the United States agreed to
protect these persons in the enjoyment OF
their property, whether they resided here
and became citizens of the United States
or removed southwark and remained Citi-
zens OF Mexico. A large number of these
claims have been adjusted under the pro-
visions OF the law of 1854, establishing the
office Of surveyor general, and the remain
der would soon be disposed Of if congress
would act upon the reports of the sur
veyors general. A careful re-examina-
ton and survey would, however, in many
cases be desirable by reason of the con-
flicting reports of previous surveyors gen.
eral and in order that all the facts obtain
able bearing on each case might be laid
before congress. If, however, congress
should be unwilling to take the response
bility of deciding these cases, it should
empower some tribunal to proceed to de-
eide them,
By far the larger part, however, of the
$4,000 people who became citizens of the
United States by the annexation of New
Mexico were poor. They and their ances-
tors had been located where they were by
the colonization plan pursued by Spain
and Mexico.
About the time of the discovery of New
Mexico, Emperor Charles Y Of Spain de-
creed as follows:
"If in that which is already discovered
in the Indias, there should be any places
and districts SO good that it may be proper
to found settlement, and any person
should make application to settle and
reside in them, in order that with great
er will and profit they may do so, the
viceroys and presidents may give them, in
our name, lands, house lots, and waters III
conformity with the disposition of the
land"
This plan was pursued until the annex
alton of the territory by the United States.
Under the republic OF Mexico, the coloniz-
alton laws and regulations became very
complete system, admirably adapted to
the character of the people they were de-
signed to benefit, and to the character of
the country to be occupied. The govern
ing ideas always were that to any one
without land, lands should be given as
long as the government had unoccupied
land, and that it was better for the nation
that the country should be settled and the
land reduced to private ownership.
Generally the lands and waters were
assigned to each person ''in conformity
with the disposition OF the land" by an
inferior officer (alcalde) sent with them
for the purpose. The result would be a
placita with its outlying lands, something
like the following: