Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1904-04-08

HansbrOugh, ID chairman OF the COM
mite on public lanas Of the senate,
the other day delivered speech I'M
oppositin to the organized plan Of the
western railroads to wipe from the
statute books every public land law,
with the exception of the homestead
law, in a way which has attracted
national attention to the subject.
For the past two years the daily
press has Deen filled with startling
announcements from various sections
tbff tue west that land companies IN Ter
the present land laws have been:
sswindling the government and accord
Eingly the honest omeseekers, and that
under technical provisions Of the
HON mestead laws, the government is
and has ibeen2unable to- successfully
prosecute the companies. The agita-
tion originated three years ago, when
the Great Northern and Northern
Pacific railroad companies sent to
Washington their agents to endeavor
to secure the repeal Of the public land
laws. The object was plain. The
railroad companies held vast tracts Of
land, which were given them by the
federal government at thu time the
Iroads were constructed through from
St Paul to the Pacific coast. If the
public lands should pe repealed then
there would beSno way BY which the
|great majority Of western land con
be taken up and the. lands held
the railroad companies would thereb
become the more valuable. III $s
In his able presentation Of the case
Senator Hansbrough discussed al
lphaHes Of II, and the staten ent com
ling from him. as chairman Of The
committee on public lands Of the
senate have attracted universal a:ten-
ltioa. Senator Hansbrough said
iamong other things.
~ But before referring especially tt
the commutation law I wish to say
1 that in my judgement whatever may
have been the history Of the entries
1 made under the desert land act in the
EARLIER years at the present time il
Wyoming; parts Of Colorado, th,
southern part Of Idaho and in othel
arid sections the desert land act is th,
only Law, under which irrigation by
private enterprises can be successfully
ipursucd. S..$s s.5..
The senate will understand a
n once that it would be almost impos
sible for the home mesteader who is re
tauired under the homestead law t.
reside Eve years upon his land to tax,
1 l6O acres under that kind Of law ant
be required to put water upon it be
cause be must be allowed to live ol
his land for the purpose Of earning
money with which to ray the expens
of conducting the water to the land
But under the homestead law b
icannot go away from the land. 81
must be C censtant resident there TO
h 1--we years. So that I say in u,
i judgement the desert land act is abso
1lutelY necessary for irrigation
Through private enterprise. al
g Now tine senator from Montan,
/ for whom ] have very great admira
/ tion on account of his very sturd,
Qualities and his great persistenc,
desires to repeal all the land law,
Except the original homestead law
There was a time when the origina
| homestead law afforded ample oppor,
[tunity for the then very small number
Of settlers who desired to go upon th,
Ipublic domain to go there and make
Ihomes under that statute Fo1ty ol
I6fty years ago a settler would tak.
ll60 acres Of land and about ali hi
wanted was a comfortable log house
= good coon dog and squirrel rife
i and he was willing to stay there fiv,
or any number Of years before secur
ling title. But, Mr. President, time
have changed, conditions are differ
TENT. The man who goes upon. th,
3public domain today wants q whit,
frame house and q big red barn, fotu,
horses and gang plow. That is th,
ldifference,
II the settler 10 required to resid,
sl,tipon the land Ave years withoat hav
ling the opportunity Of borrowing
cent Of money, because ne has d,
title 70 his land. and therefore he cal
Igive no security and should NEE
1 with misiortunes, 5as most of TIL
Il ISettlers do. such as fire, sickness. los
IIcf cropss ect., what wonld become o