Rocky Ford enterprise. (Rocky Ford, Colo.) 1887-1950, 1900-10-19

TIE IANO bOAkO.
I Thomas Wants Arid Lands Coded
to tho State-Somc Big Leases
! and Ssies Of State Land. !
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Governor Thomas position In favor
OF the ccssion Of the arid lands BY the
general government TO tho several
states Is yell known. lie Is . states.
rights Democrat. In that matter. and
profoundly dls,rusts the ability OF tho
United States government to manage
land affairs. His views on this sub
Jet were expressed ut some length In q
letter he wrote to the last Cattlcmcn's
Association Mt Its meeting In Denver
las; spring. After tellin. them that he
was their friend an wanted to do
whatever was best for them. and that
thurc was disposition on the part Of
tho national government not to treat
them night. he went on as follows:
TO my mind the plan Of state Cos.
sion OF these arid lands Ii tho one ef.
] fcctivo remedy. or course do not
pretend TO I've I,fnlliblc. nor am In any
sense welded TO such q policy. I can
and do recognize that II Is open TO scri.
ons objections. l have given this sub.
jcct. howcvc:', careful and anxious
thought for n long time. and am not
able to reach any other satisfactory
conclusion. would not advocate I'M
conditional ccssion by any means.
think the government should place nun.
pie restrictions In Its act Of ccssion and
bind the state policy with reference TO
such lnn,is. They should be open to
homestead and prc-cmpilon rs hereto
fore, the only difference being that the
| state end not the nation. should have
charge and regulation concerning them.
No monopoly should be permitted In
their sale. and no sale over and above
n certain limited amount ut given
time should ever he allowed, II ut all
Whether they should then be leased or
subjected to free range the people OF
each state could themselves decide. md
that decision would. OF course. be final.
until the people themselves should
change It. The per capita Tux could
be adopted II desired, resulting In an
apprecinble revenue for state pur-
poses.
~ know that II is urged that state
Legislatures cannot be trusted to ad-
minister such affairs, and that the land
commissions in the past have been i'm
polite In their execution Of such n
Is applicable with added force to the
Congress Of the United States. and to
the general land department. say
with added force, because these great
tribunals are controlled md regulated
by the people of the United States.
while our states are controlled and
their policies outlined by the voters
VINO reside within their borders. No
general assembly or land board In n
western state holding such n donation
could do otherwise than obey the man.
date of the people,. and any evil result
ing from their impolitic or wrongful
action would be resented through the
polls from time to time. Such policy,
II the stock growers of the country
could agree upon 1t would cement and
unite the action Of dozen states,
whose common policy would powerful
ly influence congressional legislation
and enable your into" IS to be pro-
tcctcd practically wit expense to
yourselves. and by the general needs
of n number Of great commemorative
acting In harmony with each other.
The land secured, It is for you, then, to
determine how It shall be managed
and the terms under which Its common
use shall be enjoyed. I beg Of you ser
iously to consider these things before
finally determining what your course
shall be.
LET me say in conclusion, that I am
in absolute harmony with your purpos-
es and objects. and l trust that rs n
result of your deliberations some we'll
defined policy will be outlined that can
be pursued by all of us to the same
end. The interest of the citizen Is the
real interest of the commonwealth,
and IL l can in any manner contribute
toward subscribing that interest, shall
feel that the present administration has |
not been without some benefit to the |
people. have the honor to be your
most obedlent servant.
CHARLES s. THOMAS,
Governor"
In view of the record Of Governor
land board, the remarks above
about the policy being outlined by the
people within the borders Of the state
Is Instructive and perhaps amusing.
and also the part that 10 land board
could do otherwise than obey the man !
date of the people. |
The present land board made Of n
lease OF some 10000 acres of land In
Weld and Larimer counties Mt the min
mum rate, to one large cattle COM
pany, the Warren company Of Wyo-
ming. A ten-year lease was made of