The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-27

meadow. has been secured by those who
manipulated the state grant
The agricultural population Of Nevada
has remained stationary for several years
owing to this peculiar condition of land
ownership. The population Of the State is
now 43. 335, a decrease Of 3.423 in the past
ten years. There is a large proportion OF
voters in this population, there being about
Il6s0. This is due TO the fact that the
mines and ranches employ an unusually
large proportion OF single men. The taxa
BE property OF the State amounts 10 3d.
10000 and the tax rate is low. Some OF
the leading men in Nevada have spared no
effort 10 induce immigration and to en-
courage the development Of their State
but they feel almost hopeless, for their
work has resulted in practically nothing
The State itself recently advertised That II
would give free title to all land which was
reclaimed by any one under the provisions
OF the Carey act. by which Congress al
lowed each OF the arid-land States 100000
acres If such land was irrigated. There has
been no response to this advertisement,
and there will be none, for the land which
could have been irrigated under the Carey
act or under the desert land act in Nevada
has been gathered in by the great non
resident live stock companies of California
and other places.
BAD FOR THE STATE.
Such an economic condition as is here
represented has resulted in the VIGOROUSLY
corrupt condition of politics which has
made the name Of Nevada a byword
throughout the United States. The popu-
lation Of the State is so small, so large
proportion Of the vote is controlled by a
few men and money plays such an impor-
tant part in the selection of officeholders
that men have been elected to Congress
time and again who were not considered
by the better element Of the Nevada peo-
pie as representing the State in the slight
est degree.
Responsible citizens speak bitterly of the
two nonresident senators. 1t is openly
charged that the United States senator
ships of Nevada are merely matters Of pur-
chase and sale. the market price ranging
from $4,000 to 800, 900. That there is a
change coming in the near future is appar-
ent even on the surface Nevada. while
not gaining materially or in fact any at all
IN population. is gaining in stability of her
citizenship and the character of her wealth
Her people are beginning to realize that if
they were honestly and fully represented
In WASN'T ton they would have enormous
advantage over the citizens of other States
in the preponderance of their representa-
ton
Representative Newlands is a candidate
for the senatorsEip TO succeed Senator
Jones. whose successor will be elected by
the Legislature which meets next year.
Senator Stewart has recently been re-
elected for new term, but with much
greater difficulty than he has ever encoun-
tered before. He is longer popular in
the State, and if it were his term of office
which expired next year there would be no
question as to the success of Representative
Newlands in the senatorial campaign.
Senator Jones is stronger with the Ne
vada people than Senator Stewart. and this
additional strength casts some doubt upon
the possible outcome Of the senatorial con-
test. Representative Newlands is in fact
resident OF Nevada and a large property
owner in the State. He has shown great
activity in furthering the interests of the
State before Congress, and is looked upon
as the PROBABLE successor of Senator Stew
art if he fails in his campaign against Sen
ator Jones.
FAR-REACHING INFLUENCES.
II is impossible for an outsider to realize
fufly how widespread and how deep into
the affairs of this commonwealth has
spread the malevolent influence of this p
Oo0.OOO-acre land grant. 1t has stopped the
operation of the federal land laws. it has
given the fertile valleys and meadows and
the entire water supply OF Nevada into the
hands OF men who have no desire to utilize
it except for the feeding and watering of
live stock; it has checked immigration. cor
rupted politics. decreased the population,
and, in fact, to its door may be laid prac-
ticaIly all the troubles which have come to
Nevada since the decline of her great sill
yer mining camp. In this Ii constitutes an
answer to the question, What is the mat
ter with Nevada?" This may we'll be used
a horrible example of what might hap
pen elsewhere if Congress should cede the
federal lands to the various States. The
cause has ceased to exist by reason of ex-
hausting the land grant, but the effects
still remain. and it will take Nevada a
generation or two to get well started in the
right direction.
At present the United States land office
at Carson City has jurisdiction over more
territory and does less business than any
other land office in the country. 1t was put
out of business by the State The State has
administered Its land trust so as to Sc
riousy retard progress and the State Of
fcials brag of s15OOOO annual school fund
as n compensating result The federal gov
eminent will now resume its jurisdiction
over all public land available for settle
ment, but will be compelled TO create a
new water supply by storage systems to
take the place of that corraled by the users
OF the State grant before the public lands
ha hor cd nv &c
intended. J. d. WHELPLEY.
Wonders OF Modern Surgery.