New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-26

rha svnnathy OF Congress with the expeduouS
disnosol OF public land business, says the ooiin"'
sioner was made manifest In the sevchth soo',O" "
rho Act TO repeal the timber-culture law
tho provIsions OF this section, cases long sspehue
On snsnicon of fraud or under harsh technical rules
are passed TO patent In manner WHICH, -.,T
Greatly facilitating the transaction OF business sun
leaves ample safeeuaius ag''I's' Ine P''
possible fraud. ,o
The cash sales during the year amounted 10 ?'l4''
ooo acres. OF this amount 1881, Alb acres "erV
preemution cash entries 259,913 acres were UNI
her and atone land entries, 4OO432 acres "o'o
desert land entries, 33,G01 acres were mineral
and 20D55 acres were private ei'io''
The following shows the vacant public lands In
acres in each Of the pubicland states and Territories
Alabama o47,3lo Arizona, 55y061Oo5; Arkansas
oos 3as: California, 50 900, 400; Colorado f2,lo''
o3o: Florida, 3,40S,3s1 Idaho, 33,7sl,sol; lo"a'
6OOo Kansas, 700,075; Louisiana, l,243'llo' Mion,'
gan. 1856: Minnesota, 6,s4O075; Missls'Ipp''
POI go: Missouri, 1,023s0 Montana, 74'312'fos'
Nebraska II AGO ,436; Nevada, 53,eao6e4; New-MeA-
,co "a 8o3 67g North Dakota 6,185 40; Oklahoma,
$500. 4o6 Oregon ,22O,151; South Dakota, 1859
304: Utah 3542s 0S7; Washington, 2O40l'o0l i WIS
consin. OO3 1913; Wyoming, 50,S42,434 TOTAL o'9'-
664, 6s3 acres ,
U1pon the subject OF irrigation Mr. Carter says thaa
he "a instcd in estimating the area OF good SOIL WHICH
NAV be reclaimed through system OF storage re9er-
voIrs at more than 20OO0C00 acres. 1t has become
question of the greatest practical Importance no" te
thousands of people yearly seeking homes OH te
public lands arc to be provided with the homes LOT
which they seek. Very little desirable pubic lana
remains unapproprated outside Of the boundaries Oh
what may be termed the arid region Ihcre are
millions of acres in the aid region with soil equal II
not SUPERIOR TO that found in Oklahoma, In secuohs OIL
the country where the climate Is equally des'raoe'
upon which no one attempts TO settle, for the reason
that water supply for irrgating purposes cannot DC
secured at such expense the settlers are able 10 pay
Congress can never be Induced to appropriate money
from the public Treasury to construct necessary escr
yors and canals. Congress will not pass any Ia"
likely TO result In transferring title TO such large bodies
OF these arid lands to corporations as would lhduce
prvate capital to embark in this stupendous under
taking as an Investment one policy Is Indicated IN
recent at OF Congress- encouraging private capital %
engage in the enterprise. This policy must necessarily
rcsnlt I'm passing the ownership OF water, ana cOhse
ouently the control Of the land, to corporations.
wiser plan would be tho transfer Of the lana ana wafer
10 the direct control OF the States. subject % Slch M
tatlons and restrictions would insure te reclahaJoh
OF the lands b. the states - the transfer or tte rom
the State IN the first instance to actual settlers III quar-
v not exceeding, say, 100 acres Of land 10 eac SCI
tier on the reclaimed desert rs elsewhere, the IOhe-
stead will I'm general be valuable to the family
owning and living upon il than to any one else.