The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1902-09-11
UNCLE SAM'S LAND.

ONNA1 O11A> . LIN a@.
According to Hon. Paris Gibson, u.
S. senator from Montana, the public
land acts of the United States need to
be radically changed if the remainder
OF the public land of this country are
to become the property of the actual
homeseeker and bona fde settler. SEN
ator Gibson gets pretty close to the
truth in his views. He is not an in
dividual whose vision has been limited
to a small area, for he has almost
crossed the broad continent in his
progress westward. It was not manv
years ago when he was resident of
Minneapolis, then small city just be-
ginning to grow. Later on Gibson
went to Great Falls, Montana, and has
help make that city what it is. He
has therefore seen Uncle Sans domain
develop in a marvellous manner, and
his views on the. land question are
pretty close to the mark. Senator
Gibson says that the balance of Uncle
| Sans lands are limited almost en-
| tirely to the semi-arid and arid coun-
try, which embrace approximately
525 100000 acres, much of which is
covered by the Rocky Mountains, and
Is given over to mining Industries.
Under the desert land act private in
dividuals and corporations have Sc
cured possession of vast amount of
| these lands for grazing purposes.
These lands have not only been secured
through the desert land act, but also
through the homestead act with it's
communication provisions, and also with
the aid of the forest reserve scrip
Senator Gibson thinks that unless our
public land laws are radically changed
it will not be many years before the
agricultural lands of the western part
OF our country will all be in the hands
of the rich and powerful stock growing
companies.
| The government has been very gen:
erous with its people in making it pos
sible for all to obtain a portion of the
public domain, but in the passing of
the public lands into the hands of the
settler and the Spectator there has
been the greatest extravaganza and
loose methods made possible by the
laws. The rich pine lands of the gov
eminent all went for a song, and lum-
bering syndicates and spectators got
control OF much of the pine in man
ner that should meyer have been al
lowed, and the lands in the semi-arid
and arid region that by irrigation can
be converted into rich and productive
farms have. been going in pretty much
the same manner, though halt has
been called in this way of doing bust
ness and the recent act of congress
providing for system of irrigation,
shuts out the land baron and real es-
tate hog.
Senator Gibson thinks the communal
ton provisions of the homestead act,
permitting the settler to prove up by
paying Sl.25 an acre, should be re-
pealed, and if settler wants the land
he can remain on the same five years
and acquire title. It was not the in
tention of the government to allow any
wild and extravagant speculation in
the disposal OF its lands, and the land
laws were intended for actual and bona
tide settlers. Mr.. Gibson thinks that
congress should repeal the desert land
act and the communication provisions of
the homestead law, and should permit
no more land scrip to be issued. He
says: ''In twenty-five or thirty years
the population of the United States
should not be less than 100, 900, 900, pro-
viding we can furnish homes for our
people by preserving and reclaiming
the arid domain, and not compel them
to cross our northern boundary line, as
they are now beginning to do, and to
establish their homes under another
flag"
FROM the editorial columns of the
St. Paul Pioneer Press: "Senator
| Henry E. Rarker of Isanti conntu .uho