Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-08-03

snail the nallOnS great DOMAIN u
western arid lands and the nations
money be used to enrich compara-
lively few greedy individuals, or shall
they be used to furnish security and
happiness for millions of men, women
and children?
Uncle Sam is still rich enough to
give us all farm. And an irrigated
farm, at that. 1t is not dream, but
fact that the present population of
the United States can be duplicated
on the arid public domain in the west
This can be done without making
new competitors for those already
engaged in agricultural pursuits in
the east and in the south. On the
other hand, this wonderful act Of
planting new nation in what is now
all but an unbroken wilderness will
confer enormous benefits on those Sec
tions which are already covered with
farms, factories and towns.
The subjugation and settlement of
the great empire Of public lands
means that every factory wheel in
the United States must whirl faster,
that every banking house must handle
more money, and that every railroad
must transport more passengers and
freight. This, in turn, means larger
and buster population in every east
ern and southern town, and that, of
course, will quicken and enlarge the
demand for all the products Of the
soil in the older sections Of the coun-
try.
In the meantime, that which Is
grown from the soil to be conquered
by irrigation in the west will go al
most exclusively to the feeding Of new
home markets to be created within the
arid region itself and to the satisfac-
tion Of unlimited demands in the ORR
Cut duu lu luc lIOLCu uOA ia.
Congress has decreed that the great
policy OF national irrigation shall be
entered upon without delay. Already
the engineers and surveyors are doing
their work and five great projects
have been reported favorably to the
interior department. Only about
$7,00O,000 are required to carry all five
to completion and the money is in
the treasury awaiting the call. But
upon the threshold Of the greatest re-
constructive policy to which this ma
tion ever set its hand, new and ap
palling obstacle Is encountered.
Almost every acre OF these lands
which the nation is about to prepare
for the swarming Of BODYBUILDING
population may, under existing laws
be stolen and used as the basis OF a
profitable speculation. And those who
desire to secure these lands for spec
ulative purposes are strong enough
to tie the hands Of congress until tht
deed shall have been done. This, too
in spite Of the fact that the president
OF the United States has urged this
repeal Of these iniquitous land laws a:
something which Is vital to the sue
cess of the national irrigation policy
Shall the nations land, then, ant
= the nations money be used to enricf
q comparatively few greedy individu
ais, or shall they be used to furnish
security and happiness for millions Q
men. women and children?
This is the question which must b
answered when congress meets again
The answer depends absolutely upol
the will OF the people. as 1t shall b.
made known to their Representatives
at Washingtonl No power on eartl
except the power of an aroused ant
indignant public opinion can save tn
arid region from falling prey to tn
spectators, who are alive to their or
portunity while the people are asleeT
In his last message the presiden
recommended the repeal Of the Des
ert Land law, Of the commutatiol
clause Of the Homestead law, and 0
the Timber and Stone act. Thes
are the provisions OF existing statute
under which absolutely the most val
liable property now owned by tn
American people Is being systematic
ally absorbed into private ownership
by those who cannot use 1t, but VIII
propose to sell 1t at enormous prof