Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-20
sPnoULAroRs TO THE FORE.
Systematic Land Grabbing In the
western states.
New York Tribune.

western STATES
New York Tribune.
The wisdom OF President Roosevelt's sug-
gestion in his annual message OF last De-
cember, that the land laws be amended to
preserve the public domain for the use OF
actual settlers. becomes more and more
apparent as we learn OF the abuses which
exist through the failure OF congress to act
upon his advice. Senator Gibson of Mon
tsna estimates that in the fiscal year now
closing 100000 acres OF land have been
taken up in his state alone under desert
land and homestead filings; yet there has
been practically no increase In the agri-
cultural population of Montana All this
land has been taken up by spectators,
much Of II in anticipation of national irri-
cation enterprises, which would make
desert lands extremely valuable. Senator
Gibson points out that in the Great Falls
land office, one of the seven in Montana,
in the nine months ending April 30 entries
were made for S42 desert land and 76S
homestead claims. In addition to such
claims. about 100000 acres more were taken
in the state under the timber and stone
act and forest reserve scrip. He says:
AT this rate Of land grabbing, for It can
be designated as nothing else, all the de-
sirable lands of Montana will be taken up
in very short time, and the great ma
tional work of reclaiming and settling the
farm lands will be at an end. so far as this
state is concerned"
This is just the situation which the presi-
dent sought to deal with when he said
$50 far as they are available for agricul-
ture and to whatever extent they may be
reclaimed under the national irrigation law,
the remaining public lands should be held
rigidly for the home builder, the settler
who lives upon his land, and for no one
else In their actual use the desert land
law, the timber and stone law and the
Communication clause of the homestead law
have been so perverted from the intention
with which they we're enacted as to permit
the acquisition Of large areas of public
domain for other than actual settlers and
the consequent prevention of settlement"
No doubt the conditions described by
Senator Gibson exist in other states where
there are lands which promise to become
valuable through national irrigation. The
receipt during the last year of $1,000, 900
for the irrigation fund from the sale of
public land would indicate a general land
buying movement quite out of proportion
to the growth OF population in the regions
where the lands are located Such a move
ment threatens entirely to defeat the origi-
nal purpose Of national irrigation schemes.
Owing to the failure Of congress to act so
as to save for actual settlers the land to be
irrigated, the country may soon be forced
to face the question Of changing the plans
entirely or spending millions of dollars
merely to enrich few land spectators.
1t was intended that land should be re-
claimed and sold in small holdings, and
that the money obtained for 1t should be
used to reclaim more land. But If the
spectators are to get all the benefits Of the
first step In the enterprise and keep ahead
Of the government, taking up as desert
land and at appropriate prices the terri
tory which irrigation at public expense is
to make valuable. the wisdom Of proceed
ing with the process is open to serious
question