Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1902-05-15


permanent improvements at the New
Mexico Military Institute at Roswell
and the insane asylum at Las Vegas
land the New Mexico College of Agricul-
ture and Mechanic Arts at Mesilla
Park.
THE IRRIGATION BILL.
The irrigation bill will probably come
up in the house week after next. All
indications point to it's passage. The
Irrigation members of the house have
lbeen actively engaged in their canvass
of the body and the results are said to
be most fatterng. At this time the ir
rigation bill Is said to have 1SO votes,
and this is enough to- secure its pas
sage. However, the irrigationists are
not letting up in their effort to get as
large following into line as possible.
At noon each day the irrigation contin-
gent meets to discuss the progress Of
the campaign.
Mr.. Shafroth said on Wednesday,:
1.-THE chances of the irrigation bills
passage are growing better every day.
do not believe the delay we have ex-
perienced In having the measure called
up in the house has hurt us bit. 7
have only discovered one Democrat
who is radically opposed to the meas
ure and he admits THAI the bill will
pass"
| There has been some talk of bringing
Irrigation into a Democratic caucus,
but the move will hardly be carried out
as it is desired to keep politics from
the measure, as much as possible.
THE LACEY BILL.
Chairman Lacey of the house COM
mittee on public lands, is diligently en-
Gagged in collecting opinions on the
proposition OF leasing the public domain
for grazing purposes. He has written
to the governors of the several states
and territories where lands are being
leased under state or territorial law to
the stockmen and has begun to receive
their replies.
Governor Richards Of Wyoming, in
his letter announces that the leasing Is
|enjoying extreme popularity in his
|state. He makes the statement that
there is clamor from great number
of small ranchmen for land to lease
from the state and that they almost
universally insist that they cannot con.
tinue in their business of livestock rails
ing unless they have the advantage OF
some leased land. Governor Richards
says that the states supply Of lands
available for leasing purposes Is ex-
hausted. At the present time, Wyo-
ming is leasing little In excess OF
10000 acres of grazing land, and re-
ceiying an average rental Of five cents
per acre. The length Of all leases is five
years. Replying to Mr. Lacey's query
concerning the benefit Of the grass up
on these leased lands, Governor Rich
ards says: IT estimate that the feed up
on the leased lands in which I am per-
sonally interested in the center Of Wy
oming, that have been fenced from six
to eight years, has improved about 100
per cent in the production Of grass.
Many of our valuable grasses In this
semi arid region require re-seeding
and we have found that by protecting
the grass until the seed natures, the
turf rapidly becomes 'denser, thereby
producing an Increased amount Of grass
from year to year."
Governor Richards therefore agrees
with Chairman Lacey that the I'M
provements of the grass upon the range
Is one of the ends which a leasing bill
will bring about. The house committee
on public lands yesterday took up the
discussion Of the Lacey bill granting
5000 acres of land on lease to each
small landholder, but excluding large
corporations from leasing public lands.
Mr. Lacey has conferred with President
Roosevelt concerning the bill and says
1t has received the executives approval.
The president, however, thinks that
5000 acres is an insufficient amount to
be allotted. 1t Is likely therefore that
this amount will be doubled by the
committee when the bill is discussed.
In spite of the fact that the interior
department is showing hostility to this
measure on account of the barring out
of any Incorporation from participation
In its benefits, Mr.. Lacey is confident
he can secure the passage Of the bill
this session.
OPPOSED TO LEASING LEG1SLA-
TON.
Land Commissioner Hermann Is pre-
pairing an adverse report on the bill re-
Gently referred to the interior Depart
ment permitting the leasing Of vacant
public lands In Nebraska for grazing
purposes He holds that the bill Is open
to the same objections raised by him
against the Millard and Bowersock bills
recently. He further contends that the
enactment Of the leasing law for Ne
braska or any oher state would be re-
garded az discrimination against the
stock owners of other states, and would
eventually lead to q general leasing