Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1906-10-10

III seems 4 10 ~ In b. unfortunate
that q fss citizens ~ saa Miguel soan.
~ arr seeking IN atir mp trouble In
connection Nth the administration of
the Las VEGAS grant far many years
the grant Nj In litigation. The sari'
Gus questions raised vent through thu
courts al the territory and we're fin
ally s~dIadicssed ~ the supreme eanr,
Of Inc Tinted states. Congress finally
issued q patent 10 the town IL Las
Vegas. Title given under this patent
By the district court and grant srnsE
tees. by virtue NJ the power conferred
upon them By the Legislature. h N
perfect IN amy title n we'll be.
II ID said In III. resolutions Of What
n known IN the Community ciuh','
puhlished today. that the people have
m absolute right 10 manage and dis
pose al said lands without the inter
ference Of any power. b. II legislative
or judicial Now. II doesn't happen
Inst there are amy people In this ter.
ritory Who are not subject 10 the In
fiuence Of legislative and judicial
power. and the man Who attempts 20
nj counter 10 thu latter soon finds
himself compelled 10 answer 10 con
tempt Of court or some other serious
charge. Certain II In that those who
attempt to block the action Of the
court and its receiver. the board Of
trustees. In this matter. are guilty Of
contempt.
And suppose the people who live
IN the Las Vegas grant should have
the sovereign right TO dispose Of and
manage this princciy hcai.aga. free
from any restrictions OF court or leg.
islature, what n beautiful Job they
would make of ~
Would any man WIN came to Las
Vegas today have the right 10 20 out
aud squat on a quarter section Of land
and call II his own II not. who would
have q superior right? Cases couidn't
BE- brought 10 court for the right of the
court to adjudicate has been abrogat.
cd. Fifteen thousand people SQUAD.
bling for land. with i.o court 10 guide
o Legislature to direct! A beautiful
state Of affairs. desirea 10 be produced
by men who have no rights the courts
and legislature can consider and who
wish therefore to ignore the court,
and the legislature!
You may call this sort Of thing b,
what name you win, but. friends. There
Ii lust one name that will M and thai
II anarchy. The n u people who liv,
on the Las Vegas grant are not wiilin,
TO cast Off the protection Of our courts
and our laws.
The members Of the Communit.
Club are, however within their .lshtI
when they strive 10 bring influence II
bear TO have the Las Vegas grant Law
repealed or amended. W. think the.
are foolish to make the attempt I'm
der any circumstances the administra
tion OF the grant will be subject to tn
law as expressed BY the legislatur
and the courts. and not subject to tn
wishes Of individuals who constitute
minority. Every nan ON the gran
who claims a tight must have tha
right defined In SOME manne by III
laws. n he sets nj naught the law a
the third paragraph Of the preambl
published today appears to do. h
comes speedily to grief.
W. think Il unfortunate that III
question Of the repeal Of the La
should be raised for several reason'
We do not believe II a be accon
plished, The whole matter was thresl
ed out during q long period Of year
and settled to the best OF the abilit
Of the brainy men who wrestled wit
the subject. We do not believe that
law can be passed by the legislatul
that win provide for the administr
iion Of the grant under the direct 8
pervision of the peoale.
sAnd further II will do much harm
Keep up an everlasting fight over III
matter. now that the work Of settliI
titles Is going ON and efforts are beir
made to ~coionize end improve the u
occupied portions of the grant g.
As far as We have been able to gat
W the course of the grant truste'
has been wise and liberal. Every mi
who has shown occupancy Of and Il
proyement Of his land for ten yea
has been given a title without questi'
up to 100 acres. Where possession
larger tracts has been claimed. q
hoard has required him to prove /
possession according to the statute
limitation. Where tracts Of 100 acr
and less have been held for less tn
ten years. or where the claim has he
disputed the board has decided TO IA
IN such matters later after the bet'
class of Claims has been settled. z
the board does mot believe that a m
who has made no improvement
land which he claims and never iiy
there has any right that any court v
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