The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1908-03-12
DESERT LAND LAWS.
Bill to Amend the Desert
Land Act Before Senate.

Efforts are being made by eastern
men in congress to materially
amend the desert land act, and a
bill for that purpose was recently
reported to the house. This bill
proposes three changes in the exist
ing law, all of which have been
recommended by the secretary OF
the interior. The first limits the
right to entry of surveyed lands,
and places the desert land entryman
who seeks to reclaim the unsurvey-
ed lands in the same position as the
homestead settler uLon said lands
in the matter of preference right OF
entry and survey. This change in
the law is deemed advisable, as ex-
perience has proven that in some
cases of entry of unsurveyed lands
a subsequent survey led to confu-
sion.
The second change relates to the
matter of assignments; prohibits
any assignment to any corporation
or association, or for its benefit,
and provides that assignments can
only be made to individuals who
are qualified desert entrymen. This
change of law has been deemed adj
visable as being in harmony with
the spirit of our public land laws
and to prevent the possibility of as
signment of desert entry being
made to a corporation which might
be organized for that purpose.
There is department regulation
which strives to carry out this re-
striction, but it is deemed advis-
able to have it in the form of
law.
The third change in the law au-
thorIzes the commissioner of the
general land Office, upon proper
showing, to grant the entryman an
extension of time, not exceeding
three years in any case, as may
be necessary to enable him to COM
plete the reclamation of the land
covered by his entry.
There has long been crying
need of legislation Of this charact
er, Under the law as it now stands
the desert entrvman must make
final proof i'll four years of the in
itiation of his entry. In manv
cases this is impossible of accom-
even with the exercise
of the utmost diligence on the part
of an entryman.
In its report of the bill the house
committee says:
desert entrymen are generally
poor men. In many cases the ex-
pensive reservoirs, canals and other
works must be construct {
ed. 1t frequently occurs that these
works after construction develop
unforeseen weakness or lack of {
capacity at given point,
Or are temporarily damaged by
storms so that the water cannot be
carried upon the land within the
life of the entry. Desert lands are
,ften very rough and require level
ng. or are of such character that
hey absorb water to such an extent
hat the entire irrigation area of i
he entry can only be soaked up |
md reclaimed after several years II
# irrigation 'These various q
and difficulties which b
ire encountered more and more as s
and farther from water supply and
# less desirability are irrigated,
make it imperative that authority
hould be given to extend the time
ii which an entryman may com q,
'lete the irrigation of his land. In 81
ONE cases an extension of only six n
months will be necessary; i'll others ),
II extension of two years will cover
all cases, though the
Interior department suggested that
o limit be placed on the exercise
{ its discretion.
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