The sun., 1891-12-30
TIE MEXICAN LAND onAx1s
Cone,ress Most 0neo Moro Como to the Ala
OCtAo New Plan fbr Nlsposlnr Of Than.

Cone,ress Must Oueo Moro Como to the Ala
oftho New Plan for Disposine or Thew.
WASHINGTON. Dec 2e-After many years OF
rrocrastination the Congress- OF the Uuited
states last winter performed o recognized
DUTY to the republic Of Mexico by providing
method Of confirming the titles Of certain
iands ceded by the treaty Of Guadalupe HI
daieo and the subsequent Gadsden purchase.
IL established court for the settlement Of
private land clnims in certain States and Ter
ritories, and particularly in New Mcxico and
ARIZONA; for the cases arising In California
had already been turned over to tho jurlsdic-
ton OF Land Commissioner. But now that
TINS tribunal has been organized. an element
IN the claims has been developed which calls
for additional legislation.
III Is fair to say that the long delay In this
matter has not wholly been due to neglect or
indineronce. but resulted largely from the
intricacy OF the questions involved. The
grants which our Government pledged itself
py the treaty to confirm. so that Mexico could
not be reproached with abandoning the rights
ana interests OF the Inhabitants Of the ceded
iande. we're to great extent based on peculiar
and ancient Spanish customs. The conoes-
sians were made in all sorts Of ways. and only
experts In the civil law and In orders OF survey
and warrants OF settlement could Judge Of the
validity OF some OF them. Il is also easy to
understand how the vague Typographical de-
scriptions OF early days might render difficult
the identification Of such lands now. We
flnd that Congress actually did begin In 1854
It's work under the treaty Of 1S4S By setting
apart from settlement and transfer all lands
covered BY the claims. But when this had
been done. and the decision upon special cases
began. there was trouble. The adjudication Of
them was not primarily an administrative. but
q ludiCinl funoffnu W. IND
too in 1858 reporting in favor OF fourteen such
claims, but declaring that IL did 30 simply MS
the less OF two OWLS. there being no hope Of
nrriving at actual Justice in examining SO in
VOWED subject Congress cautiously con-
twenty years after the treaty % tkirts ise eshs s
Siains oalt M In al had been confirmed: during the
s,s Claims was eonstitStsd Il was found That % bs:
Claims
@ sma not exceeding l9o in
tSSs as statss anseP %s9 tSe Ss
treaty trent c, Of GGqada!upe G aidalgo The General
these cases:
sa mse9 e s9 s91sa y S
she "a fe p
The
s ssSsss q Sssss IL & .$
snd %. IsSsussnn, BECAME very complete system
%:
pnSS domain Of tho
s s :ssss
sss
3 ds rSi.es st.se: sesse:s sas, the The
surveys and the claimants do not reside on many OF
shows that It is evidently the intcnt Of the law law
SspeS f sssy
complIshes this wherever tho land Is pnsur:
the Territory have been surveyed. and the dif-
fculty there is in the. conflict between the
oay sbssd af 9Sss 1na @
Sss IT,
years q more, These lands were segregated
right OF prescription under. the laws. usages.
and customs ofSpain and Mexico, The treaty
obses tie United States respeot
is said with truth that to dlsrseard these
Wsnn q wSd be to
cry which has been devised for carrying out
long delayed obligations to wrong many OF the
PoSpLs, WhouA ~ Wuo CAp1cSbly ueSlku6u 10
benefit:
How can Casme GARLIC. for instance, who owns a
strip or nifty varas eight and third rods wide.
amounting to forty which il his home his
little cultivation near the river, and running back
firewood how this lnndbolder n survey OF his
strip made. connecting hls lines with Of the
public survey and by filing such survey and making
proofs OF the facts enter this strip at the local land
oftce! II he can do full instructions should be
Issued to the register how proceed in such IL
he cannot under the law enter his land It is earnestly
requested that the department ask for snch amend
It lis unworthy of the Government to tender this
people Justice and free titles to their lands and then
couple with this liberal oner conditions that they
not comply WITH and further that their homes
shall be conscnted ut the end OF two these I'M
possible conditions are not complied with.
Justice requires that this law be amended as
possible as to allow the entry of lands in pieces
the shapes In which they are actually held.
This, therefore, is the problem which is pre-
sented to the Fffty.second Congress-. Since its
predecessor Is entitled to the credit OF having
blished tho long-needed tribunal. the
present body should at least do its mart by
amending the original act 80 as to insure jlls-
tiGe. Tho Interior Department has suggested
that as the impossbility Of describing tile small
Congress should take the proper means to eX:
tend the privileges Of the law to the class OF
small holders and also to prolong the period
within which claims must be filed.
CRISIS IN JAPAN.