, 1891-04-09
4 BACKWARD GLANCE.
Some Land Law Expressions of
Six Years Ago.
Interesting Quotations Made From
the Governors Report.
How They Fail 10 Tally With
Some Present Actions.

Perhaps the s~sverest comments that
can b. passed upon the new land laws
are to be found in the annual report of
Governor Warrensto the secretary of the
interior for 1885. 1t was written at a
time when congress threatened to pass a
emption aud desert land acts. Governor
Warren had then such a keen apprecia-
ton of the dangers which threatened the
entire West in the contingency of the
repeal of these laws that it is somewhat
remarkable that his views should have
since undergone such radical changes.
The conditions which confronted the West
her are Just about the same now and the
arguments which we're then used are
equally applicable now.
After printing two tables showing the
homestead. timber aud other entries in
the Offices at Cheyenne and Evanston the
report goes on to say: This Is certainly
an extraordinary exhibit. 1t will be
noticed that all lands entered in both
offices in 1873 amounted to but little
more than 1000 acres, and in the ten
years from 1872 to 1888 all entries in
both Offices aggregated less than lbs, 600
acres. In 1888 there were entered in the
cheyenne land Office alone a little less
than $4,000 acres, and hat increase was
thought truly remarkable; but when. in
1884, in the Cheyenne office alone. orer
GA, 900 acres ioere recorded, no words of
surprise or ommen could DO the subject
justice.
The entries of 1855 are running close.
so far, to those of 1884.
There are many reasons for this acSiv-
ity in securing public lands; but the most
potent one, and the one that doubtless
caused the entry of at least hree-quarters
of the land in 1884, and very much Of
that in 1885, was the danger felt that con
gress would abridge in some way the OPP
p~ortunlties for the settler to obtain land.
The bills under consideration in congress
during 1884 and 1885. providing for the
repeal of the timber culture, preemption
and desert land laws caused very many
who had yet some of their land privileges
unused to hasten Unfortunately ia making
their filings. In fact, it created great ex
element, and during the agitation settlers
did not always take the necessary time to
make judieious selections.
Assuming the motives of those in con-
rrozs mbo ;nrroJroal anJ advocated ,b,.a
repeal bills to be the protection of the
poorer classes, and to reserve homes for
the deserving settler. | regret that Wyo.
ming was not Exempt from the applica-
ton of such repeating structures, which
would surely mitigate (militate?) against
the poor IN favor of the rich. There can
he no doubt hat shch legislation would
be unfortunate for Wyoming as regards
her future settlement, and would be the
severest blow possible to administer to the
pioneers who develop that most material,
substantial aud lasting interest of a new
couutry-its agriculture.
In support of this iccannot be denied
that the whole Of Wyoming is within the
arid region of America, and excepting
narrow bottoms along the streams agricul-
tural crops cannos be produced, excepting
grasses for grazing snd an occasional spot
where hay can be harvested without irri-
CATION Without crops the pioneer set
tier cannot subsist, and the income de-
rived from his 100 acres of desert land
under the homestead act will 10 no wise
support him and his family during the
necessary years to earn title.
"A man rich in this world goods has
no need for the benefit u the homestead
privilege and the poor man is unable to
profit by it unless the land be productive.
The expense of conducting water upon
leo acres of land is very nearly as much as
upon ten times that amount. and the man
who can add to the 100 acres his
homestead or pre-emption-640 more I'm
der the desert act, and, If married, GAO
more for his wife, and if, where, by the
aid OF water, timber will grow, still an
other leo acres under the timber law
(which said timber will furnish fuel and
shelter. hat mar has some encourage
ment to take water out Of the streams and
conduct it upon his lands. retaining and
rendering productive the entire tract.
The person having sufficient land rights
to make it profitable to conduct water
upon his claims can obtain financial assist,
ance in retaining his land, because he
has something in sight and because il
a comparatively short time he can effect
title and own his realty, whore with but
little land with a five years restriction he
is seriously crippled.
TO get water on the land not abuttinG
on streams, it is necessary to make long,
large bitches. and their expense precludes
individual effort, unless large reward is
promised in increased acreage of land.
Combined effort, corporate or otherwise
makes it easy and profitable to construct
large expensive irrigating canals, provid,
ing the accumulated land rights of al
those interested give a large enough felt