Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1903-12-07
have benefiter the Filipinos by taking
possession of the islands.
Receipts of General Land Office

have benefiter the Filipinos by taking
possession of the islands.
Receipts of General Land Office
The cash receipts of the general land
Office for the last fiscal year were Sill
024,74S,65, an increase of $4,762,S16.47
over the preceding year. OF this sum,
approximately. $S,461,493 will go TO the
credit of the fund for the reclamation
of arid land, making the total of this
fund up to the Goth of June, 1903, APP
proximately $16191.S36.
Removal of Fences about Unlawful In
closures of Public Lands
A gratifying disposition has been
evinced by those having unlawful in
closures of pubic land to remove their
fences. Nearly two million acres so
inClosed have been thrown open on de-
mand. In but comparatively few cases
has it been necessary to go to the
courts to accomplish this purpose.
This work will be vigorously prosecut-
ed until all unlawful Enclosures have
been removed.
Necessity for Revision of Land Laws
Experience has shown that in the
western states themselves, as we'll as
in the rest of the country. there Is
widespread conviction that certain of
the public land laws and the resulting
administrative practice no longer meet
the present needs. The character and
uses Of the remaining public lands diff
fer widely from those of the public
lands which congress had especially in
! view when these laws were passed
| The rapidly increasing rate of disposal
of the public lands Is not followed by
corresponding increase i'm home build
ing. There is tendency to mass in
large holdings public lands. especially
| timber and grazing lands, and thereby
| to retard settlement. renew and en-
phasize my recommendation of last
year that so far as they are available
for agriculture in its broadcast sense
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 attention of the congress is espec-
ialy directed to the timber and stone
law, the desert land law, and the COM
mutation clause of the homestead law
which in their operation have in many
respects confiicted with wise public
land policy. The discussions in the
congress and elsewhere have made it
evident that there is wide divergence
of opinions between those holding OPP
posite views on these subjects; and
that the opposing sides have strong
and convinced representatives of
weight both within and without the
congress; the differences being not on
ly as to matters of opinion but as to
matters of fact. In order that definite
information may be available for the
use Of the congress, l have appointed
a commission composed of w. A. Rich
ards, commissioner of the general land
Office; Clifford Pinchot, chief of the
bureau of forestry of the department
of agriculture, and F. III. Newell, chief
photographer of the geological sarvey,
to report at the earliest practical mo-
ment upon the condition, operation, and
effect of the present land laws and on
the use. condition. disposal, and settle
ment Of the public lands. The commits
sion will report especially what changes
in organization, laws, regulations. and
practice affecting the public lands are
needed to effect the largest practicable
disposition of the public lands to actual
settlers who will build permanent
homes upon them, and to secure in
permanence the fullest and most effec-
tive use of the resources of the public
lands; and it will make such other re-
ports and recommendations as its study
of these questions may suggest. The
commission is to report Immediately
upon these points concerning which its
judgment Is clear; on any point upon
which it has doubt it will take the time
necessary to make investigation and
reach a final judgment.
irrigation
The work of reclamation of the arid
lands of the west is progressing stead
lily and satisfactorily under the terms
of the law setting aside the proceeds
from the disposal of public lands. The
corps of engineers known as the re-
clamation service. which is conducting
the surveys and examinations, has
been thoroughly organized, especial
pains being taken to secure under the
civil service rules a body of skilled, ex-
perienced, and efficient men. Surveys
and examinations are progressing
throughout the arid states and terri
tories, plans for retaining works being
prepared and passed upon by boards
OF engineers before approval by the
secretary of the interior. In Arizona
and Nevada, in localities where such
work is pre- eminently needed, con-
struction has already been begun. In
other parts of the arid west various
projects are well advanced towards the
drawing up of contracts, these being
delayed in part by necessities of reach
ing agreements or understanding as
regards rights of way or acquisition
of real estate. Most of the works con-
templated for construction are of ma
tional importance, involving inter-