Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-03-25
Strong Argument by Senator Glib.
son for Repeal Of Desert Land
And Other Acts
PLEA FOR THE A0MES1EAOERS
Method Of Acquiring Public Domain
By Monopolists and Spectators
Fully Exposed.

again raised the question OF civil SER
vice appointments, baslng his remarks
upon the statement made by Mr. Hoar
yesterday that senator's from states Of
political faith different from that OF
the president should be consulted about
appointments. Mr. Bacon contended
that the southern states were practical
ly DISTINGUISHED under a Republican
adminIstra ton and said that this con-
dition OF affairs was contrary to the
intention OF the founders OF the gov
eminent.
Early In the day Mr.. Gibson spoke In
support Of his bill for the repeal OF the
desert land, the lumber and stone laws
and OF the communication clause Of the
homestead law.
SENATOR GIBsoN's SPEECH.
Mr., Gibson said In part: II regret
that | have not the ability to properly
place before the senate the dangers that
menace our public land interests, and
TO point out In language sufficiently
strong and clear the urgent need at
this time OF radical departure from
our present methods OF dealing with
this subject. Believing that nothing
of greater value to the nation can en-
gage the attention OF our lawmakers
than the preservation of the public do
main for the people who will make
hnfnaG \
naming agricultural lands should be
held exclusively for actual settlers and
that the timber belonging to the nation
should be properly cared for, and as 1t
Is required, sold at its true value. This
reform can only be accomplished by an
absolute repeal Of the desert land act
and the commutatlon clause of the
homestead act. and the timber and
stone act, and by refusal on the part
OF the government to further issue land
scrip for any purpose whatever. We
would then have upon the statute book
homestead act that would entltle any
head Of family, or citizen OF the Unit
ed States, who had arrived at the age OF
Il years, to become the owner OF a tract
OF land not exceeding l6O acres, by es-
tablishing and maintaining residence
IN -reon, and improving and cultvating
1t for period Of five years.
But unfortunately, as time has
fully shown, the Communication CLAUSE
was incorporated into the homestead
act and this clause has ever been a
fruitful and widespread source OF fraud
ana perjury, In that 1t has enabled the
Spectator and the land monopolIst 10
acquire large bodies OF public land, by
employing men to file upon them, un-
der the homestead act, who at the ex-
piration OF six months or IA months
could commute TO cash and deed the
lands over TO their principals.
DEMANDS FOR REPEAL.
The desert land act was passed
March 3, 1877. emitting the locator 10
acquire under II GAO acres Of land. On
June 3, 1873. the timber and stone act
was passed by Congress. From June
3, 1878, to March ., 1891, we had upon
the statute books the presumption act,
the homestead act, the timber culture
act, the desert land act, and the timber
and stone act. But so constant had
been the demands made upon Congress
| by presidents and secretaries OF the
| lrettior during the ten years prior to
1890, for the repeal of all these land
acts, except the homestead act, that
| March 8, 1891, a measure was adopted
repeating the presumption and timber
culture acts and reducing the area un-
der the desert land act from $40 to 800
| acres.
The repeating act OF March 3, 1891.
sun left upon the statute books the des-
ert land act. the timber and stone act.
| and the communication clause OF the
| homestead act measures clearly In the
interests Of large land owners and
| spectators. The maintenance OF these
! acts was adhered TO with tenaclty never
surpassed In the history OF public land
| legislation. These land laws have
been In fun force for IL years and have
| been measures that have made possible
the fraud llent acquisition OF public
| lands on an immense scale and nv
| means of them much OF the habitable
| transmisslssippl domain has become
the properly OF landlords instead of
| homemakers,
THE CoMMUTATION CLAUSE.
1T IL a we'll known fact that for g
secretaries of The intorlor as ,va,, a." as
commissioners of the generai lana 81
| flee. have recommended IN Conerass a..
| repeal OF the commutntIon clonso ~ ,ho
homestead act, and in looking over tbo
| reports OF Inc nubIic land cnnw,ssion'
| crs. I find nanv instanccs tba, sn,,, a.
lustrate The yalue M Inc cor rr',
| homestead for ohta,nino ,nros hnd,oa y,
land Ona instance is "iye,, y ~, 90, "
| rodo wbero N bomos,oaS ~ w. No'o v
mode mo, 0o0 ocros 90 vi uu',es VIE
In enothe. sect,on os ~ 49, va, n.nu, unu
tior ~ mad 80 an o W ena, s,a Eve Ineh
OF grazing land along water courses,
large adjacent unwa,e,oS ,or.,,on, y
| AIso onotSer CASA in N"u, NJ W. ,i1bO as
AZ ontr,os wsra r, 40 Nv meN'0 o0o wnsae
~ Land ev,ont,ns, ~ upV" ',yVV au,es
n liver Anoshas 40 ~ ,',es eiVlls
o,,hrono, too o ea'e VI Wv MEXICO
| zoo noso Toyv 80, anu hnother ~
~, ~ aN,us, ,u"ue M rol .''e oehent Oh cat
Biz GaNn' a"ose 'anus ne along .ne
H lam" co. Nv, anu oontroi Tue water
ISL, lo' 10 VI ~ HIVES III san MIGUEL
oouos ~ NV ~ Mes,uo, o. entries OF loO