Arizona republican., 1903-09-17

permanently better his felloWmen. the
millionaire ;shing to leave an ever
lasting monument to his name. the
statesman desiring to build UP the fu-
ture welfare cf his nation, the politician
seeking for a desirable plank i'll his
party's platform. the manufacturer
welcoming 4 vast outlet for his pro-
ductions in the creation of home
market, the newspaper with its finger
upon the throbbing pulses of humanity.
the land owner hoping to enhance the
value of his land, the capitalist re
quiring safe and profitable invest
nent. the workingman laboring to
carve out for himself and family {
reasonable living. or the religious lead
er aiming at the happiness of his flock
on earth and their eternal welfare
hereafter, colonization presents to each
and all a con mon ground on which all
may meet, Eone can differ. and our
entire nation. from the White House
to the dug-out, from the mansion to
the attic, will unite in rising up ana
calling blessed that congress. that
BODY Of wise men from the west, thar
| nation, that society. that statesman.
that individual, who shall make habit
able and shall colonize the vast do
main OF Americas irrigated lands.
MONDELL AGAINST REPEAL.
The Hon. F. W. Mondell congress-
man from Wyoming. spoke against the
repeal of the decert and other land
laws. He said in part as follows:
THE agitation for the repeal of the
! desert land law, the timber and stone
| act and the communication clause of the
| homestead act will receive sc2nt sup
port in the public land states.
Under the desert land law more
land has been reclaimed from the des-
ert and maoa fruitful than under all
other laws and its rereal would greatly
retard future irrigation development.
This repeal of the timber and stone act
would deprive the ranchman and farm
er o. an opportunity TO secure d tim
| Der lot, woulG establish a government
| timber monopoly. troublesome, per-
/ nicious and contrary to the spirit of
cur institutions. The rereal OF the COM
mutation clause of the homestead law
would discourage and retard settle
| ment and development by reason of
the menace to the homestead settler
of loss of homestead right, labor and
improvements, should sickness. death.
! low prices or shortage CT crops render
! it impossible for him TO maintain con-
! tinuous residence
| The laws in question have furnished
nearly thirteen million of the sixteen
million dollars now t. the credit of the
| irrigation fund; anC their repeal would
amount TO 4 repeal OF the national
| irrigat alton law.
THE people OF the public land states
are forced to the conclusion that d
! large part of the agitation for repeal
! emanates from large corporate land
and land-scrip owners, who see in the
! Withdrawal of public land from market
a greater demand for their property"
SENATOR GIBSON FOR REPEAL.
Senator Paris Gibson, of Montana.
said in part:
/ IF the desert land act. the ccmmu-
| taticn act and the timber and stone
act should be repealed, we would still
have upon the statute books of the
nation true homestead law, under
which the actual settler could acquire
$50 acres of land by occupying and
cultivating it five years, and this is the
only LAND law required FOR the settle
n?ent OF our public lands. All other
acts by which land may be acquired
; are in the interest of spectators and
men seeking to control large tracts of
| grazing and timber land. and were
never intended by their orignators to
i promote the settlement of the public
| domain. President Grant. in his fourth
! annual message, said: I renew my
recommendation that the public lands
! be regarded as the heritage of our
children, to be disposed of only as re-
| quireG for occupation and for actua,
settlement The public lands can not
| be preserved for actual settlers and
the great work of reclaiming the arid
| lands can not be continued. unless we
repeal all acts by which public lands
can be obtained, except the homestead
act. Tho repeal of these acts has been
advocated by nearly ali our presidents
and secretaries of the interior, during
| the last twenty years. Continue oul
present system OF land laws and the
| vast country west OF the Mississippi
instead of furnishing homes for mill
| Ions of people, will become chiefly d
country of landlords and tenants