Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-01-20
COMMISSIONERS
ANNUAL REPORT.
Gross Abuses II Land Laws IN
California, Oregon aid
Washington
IRRIGATION ACT
one of the Greatest Laws o. the
Present Generation. What
ii Means
Special 10 The Optic

Special 10 The Optic
WAsfiisGTca, D. z Iaa.
Western eoagreasmen bare been IN
Weighing against and stouilg defending
.he nassonas Ind lavs according "
her Interests III sotne bare !
serted that under tsean sfoss frauds
were beiag perpetfstee n the ses'
While oahern haYe DoDh pootsd
Nea " fsaas Ill eiainssa that ne
entrseg Under ghem weFe legitimate
ana thsi ths iars Eere ) great ats
ID the aesneFt II the Sss
Aow tae csmn ~ ihs
anG omc viii liz ANIMAL report
ID rhseb he 50 that ne ofl q fh
SECRETARY ii she interior fos TIL
ssaalgaika II entries npie Nj
Tires ssaiss u California Oregon asa
wasAtagtaa gesalted ID ~ suspension
m tn thousand applications IL ne
superficial eFAee Il Ka4A N hi lea1.
iaa goYsrnneas ~ rasaakt shat ary
sAiag .llke thas enormous agmher u
fraudulent entries . been made dur
Ing i recent prhod 10 EAfee states
aione. III uass De apparent essu III
TIE tnoss indifferent ard iAaAs inform
Cd that the timber and stone act b i
ias easily susceptible 81 abuse
An old stery Ii the West.
AN i matter d faet fae constant
employment II thc timber law ~ u
means N enabling lumber syndlcates
10 absorb tbs most valuable public
property for purposes n private mo
nDDly III notorious III Tho localities
where The ding II dome Il Is known
10 every man. n and child. No
one attempts % deny Il. though some
defend IL DID tho ground that private
capital must be tempted into the de
yeiopmeDt Of the country By the a.
aarance Of enormous profits
The commissioner also says In his
annual rcDort that there we're enclos
ures of public land covering an area
Of 1906. $40 acres. Building a fence
around other peoples property and
proceeding % claim II al Jour own is
4 somewhat unique way III getting
rich. but here IL ofhciai testimony 70
the fact that lhe method Is extensively
pursued In certain localities
Only Portions ~ Frauds Discovered
The commissioner aiau nayF thar
The figures be supplies represent but
a fraction u this species ~ fraud
since he Sas obliged . recall his spec
Ill agents from That fteld of inquiry
and PHI them on the trail of The lin
Der thieves The aggressive efforts u
the livestock interests III certain parts
" the wesi ii enlarge heir holdings
b. g6bbling pp yahabie portions III
the public domain Is quite as motor
io1s as The operations u those who.
are grabbing HI forests
These facsA have been made titor
oughiy known 10 he country. Ana.
there are many Indications Thai he
country will demand legislation % stop
The looting % me public domain and
save tho reat ~ Il III The highest
uses Of civilization
Public Demand for Legislation.
Some NJ The strongest newspapers
II the United states, ail The say from
The Atlantic % ihe Paclhc. have ID
eiafed IN favor or the repeal u the
land laws al but The original home
stead law Many of the most power
fuf commercial organizations ana labor
unions have done me same with
the exception 81 localities where live
stock and lumber interests dominate
public opinion. western sentiment Ii
also largely III line with the demand
for repeal.
u Is no e%xaggeration TO say that a
storm OF protest and Indignation ii.
sweeping over the land and demanding
that there shall be no further misuse
Of the peoples estate Leaders Of
tho present congress announce that
there will be little Legislation at this
session. Whatever else II done II
left undonc, the country cannot afford
70 neglect this paramount duty 10 the
h~omeseekers Of the future.
WILLIAM n sMyTHE
The national irrigation law Is likely
10 be regarded in the future as one