The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1903-03-19
THE new LAND LAWS
Congressman Lacey Reviews the
Work of the Session.

is chairman Of the House Committee
on Public Lands, and is justly proud
OF the work accomplished in his de.
partment, though somewhat disap
pointed that congress failed to pass
several other measures reported fol
consideration. In reviewing the work
of the recent session, however, Mr.
Lacey concludes that as whole the
work accomplished is unusually large
in volume and highly satisfactory as
to policy and public good.
Taken altogether" Mr.. Lacey de.
clares, there was more accomplished
in the way of public land legislation
at the short session of the Fifty-sev-
enth Congress. than has been accom-.
plished at any time previous in the
same length of time.
There were some disappointments
in this connection, however, and one OF
the disastrous results of the democrat
ic hlibuster in the house during the
closing days of Congress was the fail.
ure of legislation which had been
agreed upon for the opening up for
settlement of 2,150,000 acres of agri-
cultural lands in several of the largest
Indian reservations of the country.
The early part of the session had been
devoted by those interested in this
legislation to getting satisfactory
basis for the legislation. This had
just been reached when the filibuster
was inaugurated.
Members of the appropriations
committee, headed by Mr.. Cannon, op-
posed the proposition contained in the
first bills introduced, that the Indian
lands should be bought by the gov
eminent and then thrown open to set
Element. There was no opposition,
however, from this quarter to the
proposition to have the government
act as trustee for the sale of the lands
to settlers by the Indians. By this
plan the government was to purchase
the lands in trust, and as they were
sold to settlers pay the purchase price
to the Indians. Under this plan $780,
600 acres was to be thrown open in
Oklahoma, 100000 acres of the Rose
bud reservation in South Dakota, l.
100000 acres of the Grow reservation
in Montana, and 100000 acres of the
Devils Lake reservation in North Da-
kota. The only measure of this class
which was allowed to get through was
a bill throwing open TO settlement
100000 acres of the Red Lake reser-
walton. 1t is estimated that if all of
hoI
would have been furnished for some
thing like $4,000 families on the very
best agricultural land in the country"
Chairman Lacey is optimistic that
this legislation will go through early
at the first session of the next Con-
gress and predicts that there will be
stampede on the part of settlers to
secure homes on the fertile lands of
these various Indian reservations.
Mineral Lands Opened.
Zone Of the most important accom-
plishments of the session just closed
in the way of public land legislation"
he continued, was the opening up of
the gilsonite mineral lands of the I'm
compahgre Indian reservation in
Utah. There has been a heated con-
troyersy about opening up this min
eral deposit for the past ten years.
This reservation contains the entire
worlds supply Of gilsonite, so far as
known. Gilsonite is a high form Of
asphalt or pitch. There is also on
this reservation large deposits of
elaterite, a substance used as roofing
varnish. Both minerals are in very
pure state, and it is believed the gill
sonite can be profitably used for street
paving. If this is proved true the de-
posits will be of incalculable value
to the commercial world.
"The question of how best to throw
these mineral lands open to the public
was one which engrossed the atten-
ton of the lawmakers for some time.
The conclusion reached was that the
old discoveries, or location made prior
to 1891 should be held valid. At the
time these first discoveries were made
this land was under executive order"
and the general belief at that time
was that the mineral lands of such
reservations were subject to location
the same as other mineral lands. In
order to prevent these lands from
falling into the hands of a monopoly
the law which provides for their open
ing reserves every other section of
land to the government. This is
somewhat disappointing to many
prospectors who have located claims
in the last few years, as they will not
be allowed to acquire title to the To-
cations they have made should such
locations happen to be on the section
reserved by the government.
The National Parks.
"There was some important legisla-
ton during the session in preserving
the wonderful natural curiosities OF
the country. The house passed bill
for the second time making the petri-
fed forest of Arizona national park.
This petrified forest contains several
thousand OF egatized trees, which, on
account Of the lack of authority, are
being rapidly destroyed and carried
away by curio hunters. Dynamite has
been freely used on some of the most