The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-06-20
THE PUBLIC LANDS CONVENTION


The Public Lands convention now In
session at Denver opened in n lively
manner on Tuesday, Secretary Gar
field, who was the first speaker, an
nounced il as the desire of the admin.
istration that the people from the
different parts Of the country should
consider the land laws as whole, and
not alone with regard to their appllca-
tion or workings in any particular sec
ton In n general way, of course, this
is correct; but the truth of it is that
the conditions vary so widely IN this
country with regard TO the use, value,
and availability of selections to be made
Of the public lands, that no one code
can serve all well. IT is inevitably
found that laws which have worked
we'll in the humid regions of the Mis-
sissippi valley are not applicable, and
do not fit the case IN the arid regions,
where irrigation Of farms has TO be
employed.
Where there is an abundance of rain
a locator can 60 and take up home
stead on the public lands and is indie
pendent in his water supply. The rains
bring on and the sun natures his crops,
and he is not dependent upon any
streams for water. Even if he has not
a spring he can have cistern. Every
thing. however, is quite different in
the arid region. The settlers must
locate with reference TO flowing water
and in such proximity or relation there
to that this water can be conducted
upon his land Wherever this cannot
be done, the land has always been held
to he valucless. The dry farming prop
ositiou that is now coming into use to
an extent. will modify this traditional
view Of the value Of non-irrigable land
in some localities, But there will still
remain vast quantities of land upon
which water cannot be conducted in
the ordinary way, and which, rs rule,
could hardly have much value attached
TO it,
If Secretary Garfield should take the
pains TO look carefully into the real
arid section, he would at once notice
the difference and see that tho laws
which are fit, proper, and have worked
admirably in the humid sections of the
great valleys of the Mississippi and
Ohio, do not really apply TO this section
at all Something different is needed,
and beginning in tho way Of rccog-
nizipg the difference was made when
the National irrigation law was passed.
So far from the Denver Land conven
tion OF the land laws as whole and
as applied to the whole country, It's
chief mission. SIS we conceive II, is TO
accentuate the difference between the
conditions that exist in tho humid re-
gions and the arid regions, and to
point out the necessity of a special
form and method of dealing with the
lands in the arid region different from
that which has been successful in the
East. II that convention is to be con
fined TO a consideration of the land
laws and their operation as whole,
then, Of course, it would necessarily
have to hold that they have been bene-
fetal, have been helpful in the settling
of the country, have worked we'll as far
as the mass of the land in concerned
in the more thickly settled portion of
the country, and that no change is
! needed. The very fact, however, that
the operation of the land laws in their
application 10 the speedily settled por-
tion of the old west is no longer apple
able in the settlement of the remaining
lands. is the very thing that should be
brought out in bold relief by this Den
yer Land convention, and complete
revision of them urged,
Secretary Garfield further says that
"criticism which was constructive was
welcomed, but that criticism which was
merely an attack without suggestion
for Improvement was worthless, ~ which
is but a half truth. The fact is that
criticism which is directed towards Che
stopping of the abuses Of theft, of
graft, of incompetence or corruption,
is in itself helpful in that ii necessarily,
although latcntly, requires that re-
turn shall be had to honest methods,
anu Lp lEc i6iNUlHi, PlpPSi
tration Of the laws. And that we take
it. is the most helpful thing that could
possibly happen today; the return TO
honest methods, TO impartial treatment
of all, with special graft or pull TO
none, and an equahe, square deal ali
around If that can be had, that in
itself is sufficiently constructive for all
practical purposes.
Senator Teller, however, struck the
real key note for the convention when
he said that the complaint was not
against the laws so much as against the
officials who are disobeying the laws.
And he proceeded TO show that Congress
has full control over the whole matter
! and especially rs to the coal lands,
could fix the terms and prices accord
ing to the best information attainable