The Florida star., 1901-03-22
The PUBLIC DQHEIE.


spsciAi <orsspOlds1se Of The Fiorias stas.
WAsErNGron. March ss.4Ex-senator
Carter OF Montana, whose senatorisI
career. at least for the present, ended
with the last congress. but who has
eeen appointed one Of the government
commissioners for the ST Louis expo-
sition at the, comfortable salary of So
600 year. thinks that 1t Is about time
10 cheek up our public lands ana see
where We stand He says: mo one can
tell how We stand on the matter of pub
lie lands. There is considerable oman.
fity or floating scrip out, and this may
can for land almost at any time and
possibly for land which the people
would dislike to see applied to such a
purpose. Something should be done TO
nnd out how much or this scrip Is out
standing and efforts made 20 have IL
taken up. We have been very liberal
IN the matter OF public lands, In grants
70 railroads, to states and for other
purposes. These grants were made
with the best possible intention at the
time and no doubt have been beneficial
IN building up the country. but a time
has been reached where there is a
scarcity OF lands. The public lands
available for settlement now. unfortu-
nately, are or an arid or semiarid char
acter. which must be procured In large
areas In order to become profitable to
men who utilize them with irrigation.
Our public lands are thus becoming too
valuable an asset TO be frittered away
except for the purposes or homestead
settlement and the development OF
farms and mines"
This sounds rather strange coming
from western man. for II is gener-
ally supposed that the western men
are anxious to have the public lands
disposed OF as rapidly as possible. es-
peclally IL they are granted to the sew
eral! states. II has been observed.
however. that the grants TO the states
sometimes go awry. and the state leg
islatures have been known TO dispose
OF their grants TO corporations and 70
persons In a manner which has not
been to the best advantage OF the state.
These large blocks OF land. instead OF
being opened TO early settlement. as
would have been the case had they re-
mained In possession OF the govern
Inent. are held by spectators until
fancy prices are obtained and the de
velopment OF communities restored.
Nearly every man who has any knowl-
edge OF public lands states has observ-
ed the Withholding from sale of the
state lands. either by the state or par
ties to whom the state has granted the
lands, while the scattering settlers
build schOOlhOuses, make roads and
other improvements, paying taxes
while the unlmproved idle lands, nom
taxable II held by the state. lie still
and double In value every three or four
years Men who have had this expert
ence are never enthusiastic when they
hear OF some big grant being made to
states.
AIr. Carter says that the greatest
problem relating to lands OF the west is
that or making use OF the arid and
semiarid lands, Here are millions OF
acres OF lands whose soil Is rich and
inexhaustible, but are worthless be-
cause water is wanting to make them
fruitful. Such legislation as has pass
ed granting a section or more OF land
TO a man or company who will con-
struet reservoirs has proved made
auate. In most OF the arid land states