The daily sentinel., 1907-06-05
The Real Purpose
This City interested
Official Announcement of the Objects of the Public
Lands Convention in Denver in which Grand
Junction will be Represented

ferred to the department OF agricul-
ture.
IA. Under the rules and regulations
put in force by the departments, the
government has now actually assum-
ed control of this vast area of land.
The timber is being cut and sold. The
United States has assumed active pos
session OF the lands as a proprietor,
is utilizing the resources for profit,
and has assumed what is practically
municipal jurisdiction over these
areas within the states.
IS. While congress has tentatively
accepted this new policy by enacting
laws which apparently acquiesce in
what mas been done, proposition to
extend the authority of the Secretary
of Agriculture over the balance of the
public lands failed to pass the last
session of congress. This proposed en-
actment was introduced in the form
of an amendment to the Agricultural
appropriation bill, and was debated
at length in the senate before it was
ruled out on a point of order. 1t pro-
posed to give the secretary of agri-
culture the right to organize the
entire territory of the states contain
ing public lands into grazing dist
ricts. and regulate and control graz
as the secretary might prescribe, and
charge and collect fees for grazing
thereon.
16.-In July last year. by order of
the President. practically all of the
public lands known to contain mer-
chantable coal were withdrawn from
entry. This was done for the an
nounced purpose of having congress
enact a law providing for the leas-
ing of the coal lands rather than
continuing their sale. as now pro-
vided by law. Congress failed to en-
act law for the leasing of the coal
lands as suggested, but the major
portion of the sixty-four million
acres of coal land originally with
drawn is still in a state of reserva-
! tion from entry, Notwithstanding the
law which makes them subject to en-
try.
II. Under the laws of the United
States. the right of the citizens of the
state to obtain right of way over all
public lands for irrigation bitches
and reservoirs has always been recog-
nized. Recently, however. under the
authority conferred by congress up
on the department of the interior to
utilize money received from the sale
of public lands for the building OF
Irrigation works for the purpose of
the reclamation of public lands the
department has refused rights of
way for irrigation canals and reser-
voirs upon or over public lands.
IS. The remaining unappropriated
public lands are, in the main. of a
character of but little value in theiI
natural state. The tendency of the
administration for the past four OF
, five years has been in the direction
of making the acquisition of the pub
lie lands by individuals more ant
more difficult. Extensive withdraw
: ais have been made, some with ant
| some without specific authority Of
= law, thereby retarding the develop
ment of areas which the people are
anxious to utilize.
2 10. Every new state, when admit
} ted to the Union agrees not to ta,
[ the public lands. 1t is consequently
the ambition of every new state t
D secure population to settle these un
: occupied lands and bring them un
der taxation as soon as possible. TIL,
western states. being admitted witt
4 all the right to settle these publ,
D lands with citizens one of the privile,
e es of statehood. As this right hal
l already been greatly curtailed. anC
l
}, further limited, this convention o
e representative citizens has been call
I ed for the purpose of comforting upoI
u the situation. The questions to b,
: discussed, therefore, at this conyen
: ton will be as follows:
II "a Has the United States govern
: ment the constitutional right to hol,
the public lands within the border
= OF new state in perpetual owner
: ship and under municipal sovereignt
is without the consent of the state?
,s CD When the new states wer
IS admitted with all rights and privil
n eyes of the older states. did not tn
W agreement include the right to ac
:. quire the public lands for its citi
zens under the laws of the Unite
a. States?
'e (3) The withdrawal of large tract
1t OF public lands in the west, hayin
l. been urged upon the ground of pub
rs Tic necessity, does such a public ne
ir necessity. Does such a necessity nov
v exist in fact as would warrant tn
s. large Withdrawals already made?