Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-08-31
Impcrious Republic Opinion Should Force Con-
.gress to Repeal the Notorious Desert Act.
WHAT WAS POSSIBLE IN CALIFORNIA
Shall the Remainder of the Public Domain in the Arid West
be the Heritage Of the People Or the SpoIs
Of the Land Grabber?

Among the very big things in Cali
fornia is the greatest irrigated farm. in
rthe world. 1t consists Of 100000 acres,
nearly all Of which is under actual cul-
tiyation. rs sH 4
This princely estate is the property
of single firm, or close corporation,
practically composed Of only two per
sons or families.
Flowing through the heart II ,kis
vast property is splendid riyer--ore g
Of the best in Ca:itoIs,i, which t.,ks $.
its rise in the a.glest peaks of he
Sierra Nevada. Withou. the use of
this stream the estate would be a dos
ert. With it the property is converted
into paradise.
The land is fertile almost beyond be-
lief, for 1t is a delta which the stream
has been building for ages. Here are
wonderful fields Of alfalfa, yielding
five or six crops every season and fur
nishing rich pasturage beside. Here
are vineyards bearing the famous
raisins and wine grapes of the San
Joaquin valley, and here are orchards
laden each year with lucious peaches,
nectarines and prunes. and other or
chards of almonds and walnuts. Or
anges are not produced in commercial
quantities, but are found in the door
yards with the other rich offerings Of
lie senli-froLical climate. It is liter
ally q land flowing with milk and
honey"
And this greatest irrigated farm in
the world is now private estate. II
is, yet only few years ago every acre
Of this opulent soil, together with the
precious stream which waters 1t. be
iongei to the people of the United
States. The soil, the water, the noun
tains, the forests and the melting
SHOWS which lie in their embrace-al
these formed a part of the heritage
Of your children and mine.
Carved out Of the Public Domain.
How, then, did all this laud and va
ter pass into private ownership? The
thing was done by means of the pre-
posterous land laws of the Unitet
States. II is strange that these law:
were ever placed upon the statute
book stranger yet that thus far the!
defy all efforts TO effect their repeal
No one ever dared to 90 before con
gress and respectfully request tn
passage Of BIZ. entitled, An Act I,
Enable Rich Men and Corporations i
Acquire Lordly Estates from the Pub
lie Domain" Of course, no one woul,
think Of proceeding in precisely tha
way.
What is actually done is to ask con
gress to assist them in making home
for the homeless and in furnishing
land to the landless." And the metho
proposed is the notorious Desert Lam
law. This was fraud and a humbu
from its inception. 1t is sort Of anae'
thetic administered TO the people I
put them to sleep while some million
of acres are panlessly amputated fror
tAe public domain.
This stupid and wicked law origir
ally invited every man and woman !
the United States. over twenty-on
years ago. to take up GAO acres as
homestead. They were required
pay slips per acre and to swear ths
they had provided a means for irriga
ing q certain portion of the land. Tl
law was loosely administered and fr
nuently eyaded in its incsi ossentii
details 4 few years ago the amour
Of land which one individual could a
quire under this statute was reduce
~ $40 acres.
As rule the desert lands lie
large bodies ana are oniy % be I
claimea 81 costly works q irrIgatio
lii tbe se u the groat farm und
discussion. tha works are sad 10 ha,
ce 5000. 900.
! How conla any poor settler, Or Al
number q poor settlers who could
brought together under ordinary g
cnmstances avail themselves OF Il
privilege Of getting homes by usii
~ law in good faith? They eou
NOD do so They did not do SO. II