La Junta tribune., 1900-10-17
THE BACA COUNTY LAND BILL
SENATOR WOLCOTTS REAL POSITION
ON THE LEASING OF PUBLIC LANDS
He Opposes Cedins Public Iands the Saes Leasing
Than Position Of the Party Shown BY III Stae Plat
: form-A Letter From Judge Northeum-

I the year 1890 was settled by quite
respectable population. both ms to char
acter and number. who acquired title
to land In the county under the home
stead and presumption laws. and at
tempted to make homes by tilling the
soil After repeated failures on ac-
count OF drouth. this Idea was pfActi-
cally abandoned and many Of the set
tiers in turn abandoned their homesN
not even paying taxes upon the land to
which they had acquired title So rap
Id was the depopulation that In few
years after the egress began. there re
manned In the county population Of
NOT exceeding three or four hundred
families. almost all Of whom were en-
gagged to 4 greater or less extent In the
live stock industry. Upon the homes
that these families had acquired, and
upon their small personal holdings fell
the burden OF taxation for state and
county purposes Around them lay .
vast amount Of open range, the title to
which Was In the government. and
which they could not acquire under any
Of the existing government land laws at
any price. as their rights had been ex-
hausted. Year after year they saw
large herds OF cattle and sheep turned
hutp tAAGI IO0niy uISoh thC olpth AAhkG
to devour the range TO which they
thought they were entitled. These
herds, many Of them. were brought In
after the time for listing property for
taxation has passed, thereby avoiding.
their just proportion Of the county bur-
dens, Notwithstanding the fact that
they are getting the benefit of the
range. to which the resident property
owners feel that they nre justly enti-
tied.
In my annual visits to the county In
the discharge OF my official duties,
many citizens have frequently convers-
ed with me upon this condition Of ar
fairs, and have expressed their desire
for some relief. During some OF such
conversations 1 suggested TO them a
plan Of procuring legislation which
would enable them to purchase these
lands. 30 far as they were able. md as-
sist them in inviting capital into the
county 10 purchase the lands. over and
above that which they desired for
themselves. and thereby divest the gov
ernment of title and vest II In people
who would stock the same and become
tax payers but upon the real and per-
sonai property which derive the bene-
fits therefrom- This met the appro-
hation Of almost every citizen OF BacA
county with whom conferred upon
the subject, and to the end that they
should be enabled to increase their
real estate holdings and control the
property within the county and make
II Ill pay Its just proportion Of state
and county burdens. drafted the bin
In question and sent II to you, which
you kindly consented to introduce. and
for which ! am satisfied large major
ftp NJ fhxz anr,la ~ uur
grateful
1t would be well to advise the public,
and the governor In particular. that this
bill II not sleeping, to be pressed to sue
cessful legislation later on, but that the
same has been reported upon adversely
by the public land committee, and I
presume II Is forever dead.
1t will be observed that this bill. In
stead OF being designed to freeze out
the citizens Of the county, expressly and
particularly protects and gives q decid-
ed advantage to every resident Land
owner In the county. Section 0 thereof
provides as follows: Section o. That
every citizen OF the United States living
in the said Baca county. and owning
Land therein. shall have, and Is by this
act granted. preference right for the
period OF sixty days from the taking ef-
feet Of this net. TO purchase at private
sale. at the appraised value thereof,
land adjacent 10 and adjoining the
land owned by him or her. to the
amount Of and not exceeding ten times
the number OF acres owned In fee by
such person: oil purchases at private
sale. as provided by this section. shall
he In legal subdivisions Of not less than
forty acres."
On the contrary Of provision for
cash payment being intended to mill
tate agafnst the residents Of the coun-
u. section 10 OF the bill provides that
said residents shall within the said six
~ days dle with the register OF the
land once their written application to
purchase the land. etc.
Section IL provides: ut shall be the
duty OF said register, on receiving and
Ming said application. to withdraw
the public lands therein described from
entry under the public land laws, or
from sale 70 any person other than said
applicant. his heirs, executors or ad-
mlnfstrators. until the expiration Of
one year after the return Of the report
Of the appralsefs, as provided for in
section 9 hereof
Section IL provides: THAT every per.
son to whom . preference right b
granted by this act. and who has Hled
his applpication n herein provided,
may 1t any time within one year after
the return Of the appraisers, n afore-
said, and upon his proving to the sat-
lsfacfton Of the register and receiver
his residence. citixenship and Owner-
ship purchase sajd
lard At the appraised value tbereoe-
Thus It will be observed that while
nOu-ressdents-larxe cattle syndicates.
~ the interviewer womb have t1e mn.
llc beAeve-are subjected to competitive
bids. inter aese. and are required to nay
cash for their purchases, the reoidents
q the county are permitted to buy at
TIE lowest appraised vulue. without
competIflon, and may nj any time 1wffh. |