, 1902-02-27
TUESDAY. FEBRUARY 2G. 1909.
SENATOR CLARK'S BRIDGFnN BILL.

Recently The Republican comment
ed briefly on a bill introduced 10y SEN |
ator C. d. Clark granting homestead
crs Oh the abandoned Fort Bridg.r mil
itary reservation, in Wyomint the
right to purchase one-quarter s, ton
of public land on said reservatiau as
pasture on grazing land. In a per.onal
letter to the editor of The Republican.
Senator Clark discusses the measure
at some length and says he "woulj be
only o glad if a bill of this sort could
be- made general in its character, md
following up the suggestion mad in
your editorial, IL you would specify any
other reservations within the stat, of
Wyoming to which this bill should ap.
ply, | will very gladly broaden the
measure by an amendment to meet the
condition.
1T ought to be said. however. that
what is applicable to one r~cservation
might not at all be applicable to an
S'H'A III " SNalV. VI SUI w
iect in the presentation of this bill was
the same as in the introduction of tn
bill which finally passed for the relief
of settlers on the Fetterman reserva
ton, that those who had made their
m thereon should be entitled to
such additional entry under the United
States land laws or under special legis.
lation, as would render the land which
or which they purchased, valuable and
profitable. A general bill of this sort,
applicable to all states and territories,
would be met with many objections
overcome. A special bill, such as this
introduced. finds no general or deter
mined opposition.
of course. you understand hat the
lands on the Bridger and Fetterman
reservations. as well as those of 9th.
er abandoned military reservations,
are subject to homestead entry only,
and that a large proportion of those
'N''' >s''ho 10 ihu "
that purpose, and that the limitation in
regard to homestead entry. giving to
each locator only 100 acres. in these
individual cases works a great hard,
ship to the actual and bona fide settler,
mas much as he must in most cases
be compelled to go many miles in or.
der to obtain the pasturage which is
necessary under the exercises of his
other rights under the desert and 9th
err lane laws of the United States"
The foregoing excerpts are made
from Senator Clark's letter without his
permission. but he has explained the
matter more lucidly than We could.
hence the breach of trust. The act,
together with that restoring the Fet.
terman reservation to settlement. may
prove a stepping stone for a more lib
era policy under the homestead laws,
which are now branded by many as a
misft as applied to the arid region.
II every homesteader who has honest.
ly and in good faith lived upon a quar-
ter section Of government land for a
period Of five years and made final
proof under the homestead laws were
allowed to buy an additional quarter
section at the rate of $l.25 per acre.
it would be a blessing to the small
ranchmen. One hundred and sixty
acres is not enough for any man to
make a living from in the arid region
and every man who has any knowledge
of the existing conditions knows it. At
the same time the situation Of the land
is often such that it cannot be secur.
ed under the desert land laws.
The full text of Senator Clark's bill
follows:
BE it enacted by the senate and
house Of representatives of the United
States of America in congress as
sembled, That C person who has
exercised the right of homestead en-
try on the abandoned Fort Bridger res
ervation, in the state Of Wyoming, or
who is the owner in fee of one hundred
and sixty acres thereon by purchase,
shall, upon proper proof of settlement,
homestead, or other legal title upon
said reservation, be entitled to the
right to purchase, under such rules and
regulations as the secretary OF the in
terror may prescribe, at n dollar and
twenty-five cents per acre. not exceed
ing o%ne-quarter section of the public
lands on said reservation as pasture
or grazing land not otherwise dispos-
ed Of Provided, That and 81 pur-
chased be untitled for cultivation and
homestead entry by reason OF lack Of
water for %irrigating purposes or other
wise: And provided further, That
said purchase OF pasture or grazing
land shall not, with the land heretofore
entered by the applicant, exceed in the
aggregate three hundred and twenty
acres"
NORTON NABBED.