Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-11-25
HOW NEVADA
WAS STOLEN
Mitchell Sees Ssne Hope for the
Fsrlorn State From ReclA-
nation Act
al DS SACRIFICED
Possible 70 Reclaim Millions Of
Acres and Make Homes for
Many Thousands

The frst government irrigation
work undertaken, now In progress In
Nevada, promises an unprecedented
development for that state. In area
three times the size Of Indiana. bnt
with q present population scarcely
suficient for q single county. In
speaking OK the government irriga-
tion program before the National Ge-
illogical society at Washington the
other evening, Frederick II. Newell,
the national photographer. said III
the works are well administered and
the irrigation fund carefully pre-.
served, II viii be possible to bring
about d great development Of the west
and 10 make homes for thousands Of
families. For example, u. instead OF
10000 people In Nevada, au0, 900 can
find prosperous homes. the conditions
Of internal trade and m may
DO vitality altered
As a matter OF fact. the federal II
rigation law seems 70 Nevada
than to amy other state Iii the union,
and her history Is n which a be
studied with profit BY those who are
searching for light on the question Of
proper administration of the public
domain, Nevada, since her admission.
has never proceeded upon the theory
that her lands should be preserved
for home.builders, aud the result 10
that the population Of the whole state.
while hardly that OF a decent.siz
city. III yet al i ~standstill and viii con
tinue to remain 80 until farm lands
are thrown open "a settlement In
small tracts through government irri.
cation.
When Nevada was admitted 70 the
Union. in place Of receiving the usual
donation OF alternate sections 10 and
80 III every township, TO be used Or
sold for educational purposes. she Sc.
cured q fiat grant from the govern.
ment of 2,000.0 900 acres 81 public land
10 be located anywhere her lawmakers
saw ut. A quick acting legislature
passed the bulk 81 this great and val
liable domain into the private owner
ship or stockmcn, without any mate,
rial benefit to the state 10 which Its
citizens can now point, These lands
arc located up and down the sides 81
every river and stream and surround
ing every spring and water hole In the
state. 50 that, while Nevada today
has some $4,000. 900 acres OF public
land. there Is not a quarter section Of
Ii upon which d humesteader could
make q living. The land granted TO
the state for school purposcs-dls
posed Of by the state for a mess Of
pottase- controls the balance Of the
state.
The government plans, when work.
ed out In their entirety In Nevada
viii reclaim something like 1000 600
acres, which will provide q new life
blood OF settlement and citizenship for
;his region o. naturally great agricult
ural possibilities,
Nevada affords an excellent exam.
pie Of land stealing. II was done ie'
gaiiy. but II was stealing So under
our present land laws. with the ex.
ception OF the Homestead law. Great
areas are being taken under them, and
except In such cases Al have recently
come TO light under the Timber law.
they are being legally taken, Never
theless they are steals--steals against
the people Of the country. and the
people would DO well 70 instruct con
gress TO shut them on through a quick
repeal OF such laws.
Land Laws Need Drastic Action.
The Unexpectedly large sum OF si5s.
100000 available for government irri.
cation works, with the irrigation law
ony one year upon the statute books.
has caused great activity In the west
en states 10 secure the construction
Of the dams and bitches In the various
localities, This is well. and the open
ing Of these lands to homes will add
20 the national wealth and benefit the
whole country; but the necessity Is
now seen for some additional lcgisla'
ton TO prevent the land which the
government proposes to irrigate from
frst getting into the hands Of the
spectators, otherwise the charge may
be very Justly made that government
appropriations are being spent most
" for the benefit Of the land dealers.
spectators and livestock interests.
Nor can any rigid administration Of