, 1908-01-31

road limits that have been subject to
entry for thirty years or more. No
specific reasons were given for the OPP
position and Mr.. Mondell now asks Mr..
Olson, the president of the association
for some definite objections to the bill
Or suggestions a. to its amendment.
In discussing the matter our congress,
man says:
within the past few years many
suggestions of legislation have been
made with a view OF providing some
means whereby the rather unsatisfac,
tory condition existing within the rail
road land grant where the railroad
sections have been purchased and
where the alternate government sec
tons, or parts OF them, are not OF a
character to invite settlement under
the homestead law, might be remedied.
After carefully considering all of the
propositions it seemed to me that the
best solution of the situation would
be one under which we might provide
for the gradual passing of these lands
into private ownership under terms
and conditions which would not be
onerous to men of limited means. |
assumed that we all appreciate the fact
that perpetual ownership by the fed
eral government of a considerable por,
tlon of the lands in any region is moi
a satisfactory condition and neither
in the interest of the individual or the
community, and where peculiar condi
tons exist as within railway land
grant limits by reason of the private
ownership of every alternate section
the passing of the government lands
which are unfit for cultivation or irri
cation has practically ceased, some eff
forts should be made whereby, moi
with a view of disturbing satisfactory
conditions but rather with a view o.
overcoming unsatisfactory conditions
we may find a reasonable solution Of
the situation. In my opinion a salts
factory solution could not be found il
o system of leasing, even were the in
auguration of such a system possible
Much less do | believe it could be
found in a system of federal range con
Gltions which would place absolute au
thority in the hands of federal otic
ials to determine who should have the
right to use any portion of the grains
lands and the conditions under whfcf
that use might be enjoyed.
Il am exceedingly anxious to do al
can in aiding in the development O
our state and in placing its industries
upon a sa' isfactory basis, and with tina
object in view | introduced the bill IL
question; lot with the idea that all o
its provisions were perfect, but merely
as a suggestion that under some prop
ipaugurate the policy of the gradud
disposition of at least a portion o.
purely grazing areas, especially il
those cases where the operation Of thu
railroad grant has produced peculiar
conditions. For instance, it was no
my opinion that the minimum price
named in the bill was a reasonable
minimum for all of the lands within
land grant limits; undoubtedly it l.
too high for a considerable portion o.
these lands, but | feel it would be
hopeless to attempt in the Inaugural
ton of this system to establish a mini
mum less than the long established
minimum price of public lands, and
clearly no one would ask to nave order
ed into market, lands which were moi
believed to be worth the minimum. The
leasing of such lands must necessarily
await the time when the better lands
having been disposed of it would be
possible to secure a lower minimum
or wipe out the minimum entirely with
a view of gradually disposing of the
less desirable lands"