, 1900-02-27

from rental at first, may increase that
income later, and thus in some degree
will provision be made for the increas-
ing expenses for care and maintenance
of aged soldiers n sailors.
Wyoming, in its constitution, which
congress incorporated in its law ad-
hitting the state, provides fully for the
protection Of these lands, and SO do
the laws later enacted. A full land
board was provided for, and every
been made.
The article in Wyoming's constitu-
ton on public lands and donations
reads as follows:
agrees to accept the grants Of lands
heretofore made or that may be here
after made by the United States to the
state, for educational purposes, for pub
other objects, and donations of money,
with the conditions and limitations
that may be imposed by the act or acts
of congress making such grants OF do
nations. Such lands shall be disposed
of only at public auction to the highest
responsible bidder, after having been
duly appraised by the land commits
s%ioners, at not less than three-fourths
not less than $40 per acre: Provided.
That in case of actual and bona fide
settlement and improvement thereon
at the time of the adoption of this con
situation, such actual settler shall have
the preference right 10 purchase the
land wherein he may have settled, not
exceeding 100 acres, at a sum not less
than the appraised value thereof. and
ue of improvements shall not be taken
into consideration. If at any time
hereafter the United States shall grant
any arid lands in the state to the state,
on the condition that the state reclaim
and dispose of them to actual settlers,
the legislature shall be authorized to
accept such arid lands on such condi-
tions, or other conditions, if the same
are practicable and reasonable.
"The proceeds from the sale and ZEN
tai of all lands and other property do
mated, granted, or received, or that
may hereafter be donated, granted, or
any other source, shall be inviolably
appropriated and applied to the specific
purposes specified in the original grant
or gifts"
Other sections follow, equally pro-
~teotive or the one hand and preventive
on the other. The laws Of Wyoming
seem to cover every contingency, the
intent being made plain that state lands
ficiary named in the act making the
donation.
AS donated lands, with rare excep-
lions, never reach the value of $40 per
acre, they are never sold, but remain
the property of the state, and are leas-
ed under carfully guarded rules and
regulations,
or the many provisions of Wyo-
ming's land law, we quote as follows:
THE board may lease any legal sub
division of the lands Of the state at an
annual rental not less than five per
centum on the valuation thereof, fixed
by the board, except as hereinafter pro- !
vided.
State lands may be leased for peri |
DDS of not more than five gears.
"All the water rights, which shall
have become appurtenant to the lands
leased aforesaid, shall, upon the expira-
ton of the leases thereto given to the |
lessee who made the irrigation and i'm
provements thereto, become the pro-
perty of the state"
Wyoming's total acreage was report
ed on June 80, 1897, by the secretary of
the interior as 81, 433 900 acres, Of
which only 4,925,415 acres had been ap-
propriated. OF the remainder, $780,
002 acres were in reservations INDIAN,
military, etc., while 49,341, 5S3 acres
were reported as vacant public lands.
Granted to Wyoming for all purposes,
66S 900 acres.
Referring to swamp lands, the same
report records as donated swamp lands
to that date
Acres