Arizona republican., 1901-12-24
LEASE or ARID LANDS
Bill Regulating Occupation Of
Public Domain
It Refers OILY to the Grazing Lands
in the Arid States-The Manner
in Which the Lands are to be
Disposed of.

Washington. Dec. 1S.-CspeciaI cor
respondence o: The Republican, rep
resentative stephens o; Texas in
troduced the first bill of the session
referring to the leasing of the public
grazing land in the arid states and ter
ritories. This bill proposes to put the
entire matter in the hands of the sec
retary of the interior and provides that
any bona fide actual settler who may
reside on 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,
10 lease such quantity of land as may
he limited by the act to include his inn
provements upon complying with the
provisions of the proposed law.
Mr.. stephens proposes that the pub
lie grazing land shall be leased and
conserved 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 permanent
water thereon shall be leased for a
term of five years or less at not less
than three cents per acre per annum
and all grazing lands classified as pas
ture 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 pay
ment to be made at the time tho lease
contract is entered into. If at the
termination of any lease the land COW
cred thereby is stin for lease. the
lessee thereof shall have the preference
right to again lease such lands there
tofore leased by him upon the terms
and at the prices then fixed ny law.
All leases shall be executed under the
hand and seal OF the land commissioner
and delivered to the lessee or his duly
authorized agent. and such lease shall
not take effect until the first annual
rent is paid and such lease thereof duly
filed in the registers office in which the
land is situated: and all leases under
the provisions of this act shall br adj
vertised by the commissioner in such
manner he may think best and let
to the highest responsible bidder under
such regul ttions as hCs may think To
the best interest of the United States.
All bids and offers to lease may be re
jected by him, prior to signing the leas.
contract fer fraud or ccllusion. or
other good ard sufficient cause.
Sec. 3. 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 is
permanent water. and also which sec
tions are dry and which watered lands
(any section is a watered section. as
defined by this law. on which there IS
a permanent spring. lake or strsam).
and also stating that he is not leasing
said lands for the use OF any other
person or for any corporation for the
purpose of procuring a large body OF
land for such person or corporation.
but that he applies for said land IN
good faith and to be used by himself
only. The application shall be sworn
to by the applicant before some officer
authorized to administer oaths, with
his seal of Office attached. Any appl!-
cant making a false statement in his
applicatio shall be deemed guilty of
r.. my and may be punished ;lr,rr1-
inPly. And thereupon the cornmissior-
er. II satisfied that the lands applied
for are not in Immediate demand for
TuiT.nses of actual settlement shall no.
tify The applicant in writing tha; l,iss
proposition to lease is accepted an I
tho: eiIpon he shall execute and deliver
{, the lessee, in the name and by the
Authority OF the United States, a lease
of said land for such term as nav be
agreed upon. and deliver the same t.
such lessee when satisfied that the
l'Ssee has paid to the treasurer os the
Un.Ieii States the rent for one year IN
advance. Provided, that one person or
corporation shall not be permitted 10
lease more than two sections o. wL-
tsrsd land and six sections of dry graz
ing lard. Provided further. tina. eacn
person shall lease three sections OF dry
land to each section of watered land
81 leased by him, if said land shlll he
c,nIt'r Gus BY watered land is mear'
permanent springs, rivers. streams or
lakes
Sec. 6. That any person desiring to
lease any portion of the lands aforesaid
on which no permanent water supply
exists shall notify the comm issioner OF
the general land office in writing that
he desires to lease lands. specifying
and describing them, providei lie can
obtain the necessary supply of water
by boring or otherwise. and that he VIII
within ninety days lease slid lan1s.
provided such water supply can BIZ ob
tanned. He shall also make and file
with the commissioner of the general
land Office his bond. with good AID
sufficient personal security in II s;'m
euual to one years rental of the guam
tity of lond applied for. payab'. to the
United States. conditioned that he will
diligently and in good faith try to Sc
cure water on such land daring such
ninety days. and if secured Will lease
the designated lands for the term pre-
scribed herein. and thereupon the conf
missioner shall for such ninety days
withhold the lands thus designated
from lease to any person. Within or :
the expiration of said ninety days and
annually thereafter, such applicant to
lease shall pay to the United states, in
advance. one years rental of the land
applied for by him. on satisfactory