The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-11-03

THE
Grand Priz Calcium Paris, 1900
PIANO
The Mckinney rlusiC Co.
All East Douglas, Wichita.
Southwest Wholesale Distributors.
INCONSISTENT STATESMEN.

For the asle:
The recent action of the Wyoming In
dustrial convention al Sheridan. Wyo..
in declaring it's innexibie opposition to
the repeal of the Desert Land Act. the
Communication clause of the Homestead
Act and the Timber and Stone Act is in
dicative Of the attieude which may be ex-
pected of certain western interests on any
land legislation hostile to the specu'ator
and the live stock baron.
In the hot debate at the Ogden Irriga-
ton congress. few weeks previous. the
issue was on the merits of these land
laws and the fierce demand for their re-
peal. which has arisen in various parts
of the United States.
Several western congressman who par
ticipated opposed the repeal of these avs.
but at the same time referred with pride.
to the part they had taken in assisting
IN the passage of the National Irrigation
Act. Not one of these gentlemen seemed
TO realize the Inconsistency involved in
opposing the repeal OF the Desert Land
Law. in one breath. and in the next
breath gloatinE over the trump OF ma
tional irrigation. What are the facts?
The Desert Land Law permits a sin
gle individual TO acquire p oacres 81 irri-
gable land With the assistance of his
good wife. the same Individual may take
up 81 oacres. And he need not live upon
the land at all He can make some lit
tie Improvement and swear that he has
some sort of ARA ngement 10 irrigate il,
when he gets title by payink SIS an acre.
Under such provisions. it is indeed easy
for spectators to obtain land To sell out
10 real homestesders at a big profit OF TO
consolidate into large holdings.
This is the law which the congressman
referred to insist upon keeping upon the
statute books.
A RIGHT LAND LAW.
Now. what is done with the lands when
the National Irrigation Act IS in opera
ton? First. they are absolutely with
drawn from entry while ;he fess bilty
OF the project is under consideration.
Next the secretary OF the interior Is
empowered To fix the amount OF land
which a single individual may acquire.
but is forbidden to fix larger unit than
100 acres. or a smaller unit than 40 acres.
in any instance.
Finally the settler is compelled 10 live
upon and cultivate the land which he
claims for his home, and he must live
there not for five years. but ten years.
which is the period fiued for the repay
mont II the government expenditure.
In other words. every claim made by
the advocates Of the repeal Of existing
land laws s. absolutely conceded m the
terms OF the National Irrigation Act. So
far as tn areas 70 he covered b. The
new policy are concerned. the Desert
Land Law and the communication clause
Of the HOMESTEAD Law stand repealed.
And the nation has thereby declared is
uncomprornissng attitude on tire issue de-
bs,ed AZ ogden.
Now. then. what becomes OF the con
sistency Of the aforesaid consreesmea7
ARC they not standing q both sides q
the question ~ tho same tiue2 ~ vot-
ing for the National Irrigation Act. thsy
declared that no citizen ou-E, 20 have
more than 80 acres q irTigs hIc land from
tho public domain. ana 81 some i1starcrv
he ought rot 20 have more than 20 acres.
Then how can they consistently d@nart
that citizens shall coulinue 20 take -
acres under the Desert Land law
By voting for National Irrigation they
declared ,hst settler must actually live
upon hts land for ter wears be,9fe get