The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-06-09
MILLION Of DOLLARS
Proceeds of Sales of Public
Lands Heavy
FOR IRRIGATION USE
Speculative Absorption of Pub
lie Domain indicted

Washington, June 6.-With the end of
the present fiscal year in sight the land
officials estimate that over $1,000, 0o0 will
have accrued TO the benefit of the nation
irrigation reclamation fund on that date.
the receipts from the sale of public lands
being in round numbers S7,600,00o, from
July l, 1902, 10 June 80. 1908. and the bal
ance having bueen already available
Upon its face this is encouraging and
most satisfactory news for the west and
for those who are interested in seeing the
government develop great tracts of des-
ert land through national irrigation.
Much can be done with fifteen million
dollars especially as the money will all
come back again to the government in
annual payments from the settlers who
receive the benefits TO be Immediately
used over and over again in the con-
struction of additional irrigation works.
However. the real situation as indicated
by these tremendously increased receipts
from the sales of public lands is not so
favorable. 1t in fact shows a condition
which is alarming. These government
receipts are derived from the sale of land
under the Timber and Stone act, the COM
mutation clause of the homestead act and
The Desert Land act. and this record
breaking increase in sales can mean
nothing less than that an immense area
Of the public domain are being rapidly
absorbed into private ownership. But
what class of ownership? The very lands
which il is proposed the government
should irrigate and offer to home seekers
are being taken up and held for specu-
lative purposes or acquired by large live
stock interests under our loosely con-
structed and poorly administered land
laws; they are not being taken by set
tiers. 1t has been said oft and again that
the public lands suitable for home-mak-
irg have about all been taken up and
that those remaining must be irrigated
before the settler can make A living on d
160-acre or even a 320-acre tract. How
comes it then that such vast areas of
land are being disposed of as is shown
by the reports of the general land office
last year nearly 100000 acres and this
year probably 25. 100000 acres more?
Speaking for his own state and town
in this connection Senator Paris Glib
son, of Great Falls, Montana. who wrote
the report of the senate public lands COM
nittee last winter urging the repeal of
the above mentioned land laws. in ac-
CO, dance with President Roosevelts rec
omn endation 10 congress. said:
The eagerness with which the public
lands of Montana are being taken up will
DE understood when ! state that S42 desert
land and 76S homestead filings were made
in the Great Falls land office during the
nine months end ing April 30, last At this
rate 140 desert land and homestead
filings will be made in this Office in one
year, ending July /. next. covering 5Oo.-
900 acres AS there are seven land dis
tricts in Montana. undoubtedly the filings
for the fiscal year in this state, viii
cover at least 100000 acres-title passed
to two and a half million acres of our
very finest farming land and with no
agricultural settlers coming into the state
at present worthy of note. This does not
include the land taken under the Timber
and Stone act and Forest Reserve script
probably 100000 acres more. At this rate
OF land grabbing, for it can be designated
as nothing else all the desirable lands
of Montana will be taken up in a very
short time and the great national work
of ieclaiming and settling the farm lands
will be at an end, so far as this state
is concerned.
Senator Gibson promised a lively fight
in congress next year TO secure the re-
peal of these land laws in accordance
with the recommendation of the presi-
dent The latters attitude has been
clearly defined on the subject. both in
his recent speeches in the arid states and
in MS last message to congress. In his
message. the president says
SO far as the ware available 10 asri-
culture and to whatever extent they may
he reclaimed under the national irriga-
ton 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 ben
SO perverted from the intention with
which they were enacted to permi,
the acquisition Of large areas Of public
domain for other than actual settlers
and the consequent prevention Of settle
ment