, 1906-09-14
d TAKES ACTION.

From time to time recently The Re
publican has referred to the withdraw
al from all forms of entry certain
lands within the state of Wyoming
and other western states. 1t has also
stated clearly Congressman Mondell's
position upon the matter. In n letter
to this paper Mr.. Mondell now states
that he has written two letters TO the
secretary protesting against the action.
He has concisely briefed these letters
as follows:
In the first letter, l call attention
to the withdrawal of 1O9 townships
containing over two and n half millions
OF acres of lands, in Wyoming, from
all forms of entry by the order of July
26th, to my telegram of August 9th
asking a description of the lands with
drawn in Wyoming and the reasons
therefore, and to the letter to the act
ing secretary, OF August Sth, stating
that the lands are withdrawn by or
der of the president and that they
We're lands reported by the director OF
the geological survey as known TO CON
tain workable coal veins.
In this letter | enter a formal pro
test against the action of the depart
ment in this wholesale suspension of
the land laws, and urge and request
that the lands be restored to entry,
and call attention to the fact that the
decision not only s%uspends the coal
laws, but all land laws, and that it
not only affects some coal lands, but
vast areas which do not contain coal,
and state specific instances in which
not only coal mining development, but
agricultural development and the
growth of towns is hindered, retarded
and prevented by the withdrawal OF
these lands from entry.
''fhe second letter has reference
particularly to one of the townships
contained in the general withdrawal
and located in the ceded portion of the
Shoshone reservation, opened to entry
under the act of March 3, 1905; and !
protest against the withdrawal OF this
township particularly and specifically
because provisions were made for its
disposition in a law signed by the pres.
ident himself, and the suspension will
not only prevent coal entries on the
lands, but have also prevented agri-
cultural entries by those who accepted,
the invitation contained In the presi.
dents proclamation to register for
these lands with a view of obtaining
4 preferential right to enter the same.
Il hold that this wholesale suspen-
sion of the land laws is without war.
rant of law, not justified by existing
conditions and is working great hard.
ship. 1t should be borne in mind that
this recent withdrawal is an entirely
different matter from the withdrawal
OF lands for the purpose of creating
forest reserves, or for like purposes,
for such Withdrawals, whether they be
always wisely made or not, whether
they always contain only such lands as
should be covered by forest reserves,
the withdrawal is in accordance with
provisions of law clearly authorizing
the president to make such withdraw
ais, n does not affect certain classes
of entries. neither does it affect in
any respect entries initiated prior to
uchwithdrawals while the recent with
drawals of alleged coal lands have
been without warrant of statute and
so sweeping as to cover all classes Of
entries as well as being made retroac
tive, preventing the perfection of Ell,
tries already Initiated"
There is too great a tendency on the
part of the interior department to with.
hold the public lands from settlement
What the west wants is that the land
laws shall be strictly and impartially
enforced and that the settlement of the
public domain shall be aided in every
possible manner consistent with the
greatest number.