The Colorado statesman., 1907-06-22

demands that his brindle cow shall
have the right to breath at will upon
the public domain"
In his extemporaneous address on
THE Public Land Policy: Past and
Present" Congressman Bonynge said:
1T is not in accord with the con.
stitution for the government to control
the public lands. This function should
belong to the states, under the repub
lican system.
Il am one who believes that when
the constitution was framed new ma
ton was born. | 40 not believe thai
whenever the national government can
discharge a duty better than a state
can, it is the place of the national gov
ernment to do it.
Il look upon the Nation as a gov
ernment in which the people East and
West are interested. ! do not regard
it as foreign.
Asks No Change in Land Laws.
II ask no change in the land laws.
Here in the West we will, under oui
old system, build up commonwealths
that all the Nation will be proud of.
When the confederation was formed
there were but six colonists with def
mite boundaries. The other seven laid
claim to vast and indefinite areas as
far west as the Mississippi river Many
boundaries were in dispute. Then the
settlement was made on the basis thai
disputed lands be property of the
United States for public domain.
IN the address by the commissioner
of tho Land Office Saturday" said he,
''he stated that there are in round mum.
bers GIL 900, 900 acres of land still be-
longing to the United States, the title
to which is vested in the government
Let us see what is proposed to be done
Firstly, out of the GIL 100000 acres, al
ready about 150,000,000 are in forest
reserves. 1t is now suggested that coal
lands be withdrawn from entry by in
dividuals and mined and owned by the
government. This step would mean
that another 64,000,00 acres would be
taken from the people. Adding these
figures we have over 200,000,000 acres
Now, it is further argued that 800 ,000,.
600 acres of grazing land shall be
leased, making over 500,000,000 acres
virtually and practically withdrawn
from the people of the United States
Will Soon Be Withdrawn.
"Thus you see five-sixths of all pub.
lie land is withdrawn if these plans 60
through.
I'VE are thus reversing the time
honored policy of our country.
I'VE believe in preservation of the
forests and conservation of the water.
but we also believe that the forestry
reserve policy has been unduly ex
tended"
Mr.. Bonynge's reference to Presi
dent Roosevelt signing the bill by the
last congress to prevent Withdrawals
Of certain lands awoke the convention
to life. But he did not go so far as to
say that the President did not have
the constitutional right to make these
Withdrawals. "The President did moi
sign the law until after he had made
his famous order setting aside millions
of acres of public lands and putting
them in forestry reserves. He had
been restoring these Withdrawals
gradually"
r. A. Ballinger said in his briei
speech that many of the provisions ol
the land laws should be changed OF
modified. In speaking of the dry
farming lands, he said that a settler
should not be required to take them
up under the homestead law.
THE land policy of our government
for the past half century," said Mr.
Ballinger, has been and still is, in a
general sense, covered by the follow
ing classification:
"First-That the arabic and irri
gable lands are for the landless set
! tier.
"Second-That the lands containing
gold, silver, copper and other metals
are free and open to exploration and
occupation by all citizens under the
regulations prescribed by law.
"Third-That the coal and timber
lands are to be conserved and dis
posed of for the use and necessities OF
the citizens of the United States in
furtherance of national development.
1T 10 unfortunately true that a
great many people consider the public
lands as source of rightful plunder,
which has been attempted to be justi.
fed, because the people did not gener.
ally take notice of it and the govern.
ment was inactive in furnishing the
illegal acquisition of it."
Henry M. Teller, senior United
States senator from Colorado, was the
last speaker of the afternoon.
Every move on the part of the gov.
ernment during the past ten years, =
said Senator Teller, has been de,
signed to make it more difficult for a
man to get a home.
"The ideal community is where
every man may own his own home.
81. object to landlordlsm by the rich
and by the government. But IL we
must have either, prefer the former
to governmental landlordism.
81 will show you where the govern.
ment officials are disobeying the laws.
They say they are enforcing them, but
| will be better pleased when l see
them enforced.
I'VE must get the land of the coun.
try into the hands of the men vino
want to live on it.
.arrho,r tnllr of th. e-lr.,r l,f follc..ri..nx