The Lamar register., 1893-01-14

e pIp'islons OF the state constitution re-
'ure that certain state officers shall CON
stifute the land board bu. l corlIaIix a.
dorse the idea of tn. commissioners a. fsr
as II can be carried out and not copnict
NNa the PROVISIONS OF the state constitu
II Is quite evident that the so-calted ..r,a
lands OF the United States. and situate
mostly IN the Rocky Mountain STATES are
not adapted to homestead settiement with-
ue system OF reservoirs and irrigation,
tat zoo costly TO be made by private enter
hrise. The expense of making these lands
VuhiNaple, viii not. and PERHAPS ought not
ue borne by the states not locally bene-
''ieu by the improvement of the arid lands
hlli has already been intr. an
goLgress, providing for the cession of these
lands TO the states in which the lands are
stuaie and imposing upon these states the
burden of making the Necessary Improve
,iehts Tor successful cultivation. am In
favor Of the state accepting thf. nrid lands
or the United States In Colorado for the
hehcnt of our school fund and the various
educational institutions connected with our
e.nih0h school system. and for paying the
expenses OF irriEaiing the Land; the state
a. II Is able. to make tho necessary irriga-
lon canals, and thereafter TO lease these
lands TO actus, settlers only, upon the low
EST terms consistent, with the cost expended
y ne state, and n reasonable interest for
the beheht Of 7he school fund.
PeFhafs the most general evil that af,iicts
MHstefui has been the land policy Of the
n4ted States that an area of public lanes
nearly equal 10 all the New England stutes
sud New York and PenusylvsnlI combined.
Aas 0een given away to railroad corpora
lions THIS insane policy. in connection
" lth financial policy OF the government for
the past 30 years. has produced effects
which endanger the permanence of our free
Institutions.
Kansas. which only 30 yrars ago had not
4 landlord within its borders and Whose
lanls- not donated To railroads were taken
NJ unIuorf gagged under the pre.cinI,ttou
homestead and timber culture acts is now
cultivated by farmers 90 per cent of whom
are tf-naais, aud It's farms are mortgaged
for s2sij. 600 0Ol.
In Ohio. one OF the Older states. possess
'"sst fertile soil. fine climate and
hardy erarIirI in natural resources by any
oiher state Ia the Union. % per cent OF Its
farmers are tenants.
In Colorado vast tracts OF land have been
taken from the pgopls under Mexican land
gTunrs. many OF them bogus in their In
ceptiun, and al OF them increased in area
bJ perlgred testimony of fraudulent sur
veys Immense tracts of the best asricul'
tural lands in Colorado have been gubblcd
10 by al.Tn land owners and in good part
through fraudulent land entries large
portion of the coal Iants in the state. now
belonging 80 individuals and corporations
were entered frauducntly agricultural
lAai-" and. until within the pasa two years
no attempt whatever has been made by ths
state government to secure to the state
any henrnt from Its titie to Ms mineral
iaadS. although such lands have been the
chief source OF the prosperity Of ne people
% colorado.
II may not be advisable to attempt &c
retnsisy all th,rse wrongs or TO lrgfsiSte &c
Eusettle land titles or TO disturb ''vested
rights" hpt In vtew of the Acknowledged
a. "a u
thar .his criminal waste OF the public lands
ssl1l crosc- i therefore rec5mment 10 the
Ninth general assrrnbiy that IL enact n law
taking away from the state land board the
right 10 convey, by any deed, the ultimate
title TO any Of the state lands
also recommend memorial TO congress-
IN favor Of th.' ccssion by the United
STAGES to Colorado uf the 'arh lands
within the state; that Our senator's anu
rsurs-4s M AtIves In congress be requested
and irstrurs,-l TO support SAIL memorial,
AMI to use their best endcuvors to secure
such conditions 10 the cessicn OF the arid
lands that this hst remnant Of the her.
lturv % chr people I'm ghc public lands oil
th., Initcd Ststes, shall he eoayeycd 10 the
state free Of all risk from the jobbery OF
,orparatsons. and the robbery OF land mo
aS9ollsts-
CONVICT I.ARoR-IRRIGATIoS.
yyithia the past two years the labor, TO
.otre ertsui. OF ths couvicts OF the peni.
teRNary at Canon city has hcen einpioyei
In the construction OF stnse trrig3tinE, :,
canal which. when completed. VIII add
greatly to the value OF some OF the state
iauds aud VIII also be u source OF revenue
bv supplying with wafer lands OF privase
.Itts~rs in the vtc.uIty. | most heartily
approve the employment Of coavict labor
In constructing staite irriga-ns canals as
Of great pubic uuliiy. aiil not coming into
competition with the labor OF The priNste
citlzeu, and esn see no good reason why
convict labor should not slso be employed
il tn.,Siny public roals and bridges
I recommend law 10 prohibit the !eas-
Tag of couv.c, labor TO any person or per
sons or corporation, api that convict LABOR
upon trrlgating canals through lands not
belonging to the x STE be permitted only
upoa tAe condition thst the canal ana lsS
hsf. when Completed. shnll be the property
OF the sta.e. aud rha; the water rents OF