, 1901-12-24
OF ARID lands
CONGRESSMAN STEPHENS BILL
TO REGULATE THE
MATTER.
Grazing Lands Containing Permanent
Water May be Leased for ? Term
of Five Years at an Annual Rental
OF Not Less Than Three Cents an
Aere-Dry Lands for Not More
Than Ten Years. .

Than Ten Years.
Washington, d. c., Dec. 24.-(Spe.
. cial to The Republican. )-Representa
tive Stephens of Texas has introduced
the first bill of the session referring
to the leasing of the public grazing
land in the arid states and territories.
This bill proposes to put the entire
matter in the hands of the secretary
of the interior and provides that any
bona fide actual settler who may re-
side or any part of the land, the lease
of which is authorized by this act,
shall have the prior right for a period
of ninety days after the law is passed
to lease such quantity Of land as may
be limited by the act to include his
improvements upon complying with
the provisions of the proposed law.
Mr.. Stephens proposes that the pub
lie grazing land shall be leased and
conserved as follows:
Sec. 4. That the public grazing
lands in the arid states and territories
of the United States shall be leased
by the commissioner Of the general
land Office under the provisions Of this
act. All grazing lands containing per-
manent water thereon shall be leased
for a term of five years or less at not
less than three cents per acre per an
nun, and all grazing lands classified
as pasture or dry grazing lands shall
be leased for a term OF not more than
ten years at not less than two cents
per acre per annum, which rental shall
be paid yearly in advance, the first
lease contract is entered into. II at
the termination Of any lease the lands
covered thereby are still for lease,
the lessee thereof shall have the pref
erence right to again lease such lands
Heretofore leased by him upon the
terms and at the prices then fixed by
law. All leases shall be executed IN
der the hand and seal Of the land COM
missioner and delivered to the lessee
or his duly authorized agent. n such
lease shall not take effect until the
first annual rent is paid and such lease
thereof duly filed in the registers Of
fee In which the land is situated; and
all leases under the provisions of this
act shall be advertised by the commits
sioner in such manner as he may think
best and let to the highest responsible
bidder under such regulations as he
may think to the best interest OF the
United States. All bids and offers to
lease may be rejected by him. prior
to signing the lease contract. for fraud
or collision, or other good and sui
ficient cause.
Sec. 5. That any person desiring to
lease any portion Of the lands belong
ing to any Of the funds mentioned in
this act shall make application in writ
ing to the commissioner of the general
land office specifying and describing
the particular lands he desires to lease
and stating whether the land is dry
grazing land or land on which there
IL permanent water. and also which sec.
lions ara drv and which vatered lands
fanv section ia a watarad ,ssctton as
daanad NV th,s Law on which there ia
q nerm.nant snrinp lako or streaml
and also stating that he ia not leasing
said lands for the usa y, anv other ner.
son or for any cornoration and that
he ;s M. acting IN c~o,Ius,on with anv
other pers,r ~ corporation for the
nurnosa q, nrocur,ng a large bodv n,
land for sucb nerson or cornoration
bnt tbat ba ann,ies for said land in
good faith and tn be used nv himself
on,v Tho a~nnlicat,on sba,, be sworn
tn bv the annlicant before some officer
outhor,,ed n administer oatba with
b,s sea, q, office attached Anv annli.
cant making n false abatement IN his
annl,cation shall he deemed guilty of
neriurv and NAV he punished accord.
in1lv And theremnon the commission.
er II satisfied that the lands applied
for are not in immediate demand for
~purposes of actual settlement. shall
notify h applicant in writing that his
proposition to lease ia accented. and
tbereupon he shall execute and deliver
to tho lessee. in the name and by the