, 1891-03-14
4 BLOW TO
How the NV Land Law WuI PraC-
ticHIIv Operate IN Wyoming.

AlthliN optidlt III thlHE
To the Editor Of THE LEAuERr
MANvILLE. WYo., March lO.-I have
examined the recent land laws which have
just passed Congress, repeating the pre-
emption act of Sept. 4, ls4l, and the
timber culture act of March 3, 1857, and
also the narrowing down of the homestead
and desert land laws, making them so ex-
pensive and burdensome to the settler
that it will be almost impossible for the
emigrant to comply with the provisions of
this last and most Infamous land act. 1t
has always been the poor man, stimulated
by the hope of securing a home for him
self and family, who has run the risk of
being killed BY the Indians and under
gone the many frontier privations. These
are the people We can thank for settling
up and bringing under civilization the
Western frontier. Without them Wyo-
minR's population would not be what it Is
today. They bring wealth with them IF
1t is not in cash 1t is in labor and they
make improvements which increase the
assessable valuation OF Wyoming. The
repeal of these acts will eventually stop
emigration and retard and ipjure the
growth aud prosperity of Wyoming and
the West, much more than any person at
the present time can imagine.
We are feeling the effects Of the pas
sage Of this act here at ManvIlle already.
l have been sending out pamphlets
through the Eastern states to encourage
emigration and setting forth the advan-
tage and prospects of Wyoming and the
benefits to be derived by the poor man in
securing a free home, and the people are
already coming in. Since. | received no.
tice that there would be no moro filings
admitted at the local land Office OF timber
culture and pre-emptiOns. which was on
March 4, there have been parties at my Of
fee every day to make filings on both tim
Der culture aud pre-emption claims. but
alas, too late. as a great many ofthem have
already used their homestead rights in
other states.
That there has been an injustice done to
the West BY the passing of this law there
can be no doubt, as every far minded
man can see, but who are we to hold re-
sponslble? This blow. AIMED at the very
heart Of Wyoming. will take her many
years to recover Just at this time when
our expenses will be doubled up on us,
in the way of taxation. as we have
just emerged from a territorial
to a state government, the only
salvation for US, 1t would seems to me, is
to secure emigration aud coura CAPT.
tai to settle among us, 1t is only a very
short time since there we're three new
lan1 offices established in Wyoming.
making it very convenient for the emf.
graft to locate his claims without any
great expense. As the law stands today,
| think it will be safe to say that one land
office will be sufficient to do the entire
land business of the state. There must,
if possible, be some remedy provided.
and | think there is one, at least. left us,
and that is in the course YOU have advised
through the columns of THE LEADER. and
urged other papers to take up the cry. 1t
is this The United States should give
the entire vacant lands that are now un-
occupied to the state of Wyoming. These
are all arid lands. These lands once given
into the hands of the state authorities,
then We would be able to offer such in
ducements to capital and emigration that
would encourage them TO seek Wyoming
as a safe place for investment In this
waY we would soon doub our population
and assessable valuation.
This should be the war cry. The unoc-
cupied arid lands within the borders of
Wyoming should be donated to the state.
We must have men in the next United
States congress that will do their best to
secure these lands for us.
JOHN A. SHEFFER.