CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1900-10-18
THE LAND BOARD.
Thomas Wants Arid Lands Ceded
to the State-Some Big Leases
and Sales of State Land.


Governor Thomas position in favor
Of the .cessIon of the arid lands by the
general government to the several
states rs well known. He is a states
rights Democrat. in that matter. and
profoundly distrusts the ability of the
United States governnN.nt to manage
land affairs His views on this sub
ject were expressed at some length in a
letter he wrote TO the last CattIemen's
Association at its meeting In sDenver
last spring. After telling them that he
was their friend and wanted to do
whatever was best for them. and that
there was a disposition ON the part of
the national government not to treat
them right he went on rs follows:
TO my mind the plan of state ces-
/ sion OF these arid lands is the one eff
| fective remedy. OF course l do not
Z pretend TO be infallible. nor am In any
sense welded TO such policy can
and do recognize that IL Is open to seri-
Gus objections / have given this sub
ject. however, careful and anxious
/ thought for long time. and am not
able to reach any other satisfactory
conclusion l would not advocate un-
conditional cession by any means. /
think the government should place am
pie restrictions in its act of cession and
bind the state policy with reference to
such lands They should be open to
homestead and presumption as hereto
fore. the only difference being that the
state and not the nation. should have
charge and regulation concerning them.
No monopoly should be permitted in
their sale. and no sale over and above
a cer;ain limited amount at given
time should ever be allowed. II at all
Whether they should then be leased or
subjected To free range the people OF
each state could themselves decide. and
that decision would. of course. be final
until the people themselves should
change II. The per capita tax could
be adopted If desired, resulting in an
appreciable revenue for state pur-
poses
Il know that il 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
trust. but every argument of that sor.
Is applicable with added force to the
Congress OF the United States. and to
the general land department say
with added force. BECAUSE tlrese great
Z tribunals are controlled and regulated
I by the people of the United States.
while our states are controlled and
their policies outlined by the voters
wno reside within their borders No
general assembly or land board in
western state holding such 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
I polls from time to-time. Such a policy.
/ IL the stock growers Of the country
could agree upon II would cement and
unite the action OF dozen states,
Z whose common policy would powerful
/ ly influence congressional legislation
and enable your into Is TO be pro
tected practically vii expense to
your selves. and by the general needs.
of number of great commonwealth
acting in harmony with each other.
/ The land secured. it is for you. then, to
determine how 1t shall be managed
[ and the terms under which its common
use shall be enjoyed. l beg OF you ser
iousiy to consider these things before
finally determining what your course
shall be.
let me say in conclusion. that am
In absolute harmony with your purpos-
es and objects. and trust that as a
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 can in any manner contribute
toward subscribing that interest. shall
feel that the present administration has
not been without some beuefit to the.
people. l have the honor to be your
most ohedient servant.
',CHARLES $. THOMAS,
Governor"
I In view of the record OF Governor
Thomas lsnd 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 no land board
could do otherwise than obey the man
date OF the people.
The present land board made OF Il
lease of sonc 1i,oo0 acres OF land in
Weld and I.ari,rer counties at the min.
timum RATE. to Que large Sattle COM
/ lEny. the Warren company of wyo-
ming. a teu-year lease was made OF