Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-29
WANT BALLINGER
METHODS SIFTED
DRY FARMING CONGRESS IN
CRITICAL MOOD
LARGE AREA OF LAND SAID TO BE
GIVEN TO REDMEN
Million Acres Declared Withdrawn
from Farmers and Donated to
Small Band of Canadian
Indians
CONTINUED from Page One,

ais of public lands from appropriate
entry, which have been made in recent
times under various pretenses without
warrant of law and without sufficient
reason or excuse if warranted by law,
have not tended to the proper conser-
walton of the nations resources in a
degree worthy of consideration.
"These Withdrawals have, on the
other hand, entailed a heavy expense
on the government and have resulted
in annoyance, veXation, hardship and
actual loss to settlers which cannot be
reckoned. They have made good oiti-
zens doubtful of both the wisdom and
justice of their government and resent
full at what they rightfully considered
a breach of faith and contract.
Should Amend Laws Inadequate
"If the laws are inadequate in any
particular they should be amended. 1t
is for the people of the country,
through their representatives, to say
what the laws shall be, rather than
for some bureaucratic, paternalistic,
state socialistic individual temporarily
in a position of power, to set himself
up as being superior to the statutes,
and as more keenly alive to the inter
ests of the people and more disinter-
ested in their behalf than they are
themselves" -
Mr.. Mondell commented favorably on
the increasing entries under the 800
acre homestead law, which he charac-
terized as a real homestead law lead
ing to permanent improvements and
homes.
Continuing, he said: ''In number of
public land states where dry farming
is practiced there are very extensive
areas of coal lands. They are so eX-
for, f1,o naI
be utilized for hundreds of years to
come.
'The coal land price is too high to
justify the purchase of these lands for
agricultural purposes, hence some
legislation must be had whereby the
surface of such of these lands as are
fit for agricultural purposes may be
acquired, otherwise they will remain
unproductive and unoccupied for an
occupied for grazing purposes.
Isolated Tract Law Discussed
1.-THE isolated tract law should also
be more literally administered than
at present so that settlers can acquire
at a reasonable price, for pasture pur-
poses, tracts which may adjoin their
farms which have not been considered
worth homesteading. This will also
have the effect of increasing the re-
clamation fund, now greatly de-
pleted."
Director Newell discussed the utiliza-
tion of dry farming and irrigation in
methods of moisture conservation. He
said in part:
"The ideal combination of conditions
leading to success in farming in the
arid and semi-arid west is found where
it is possible to have a relatively small
tract of well irrigated land adjacent To
large area of dry farming and graz
ing land This permits of the widest
diversity of occupation and the round
ing out of an establishment practically
complete in itself. The irrigated land
is, capable of producing each year one
or more good crops which can be
counted on with almost mathematical
precision.
"On the adjacent dry farming~land
with ordinary skill and in average
years, the grains or other standard
field crops can be produced. If in
exceptionally dry seasons or by reason
of no twinds these crops are not sue
cessful, the irrigated land tides over
temporary depressions until there
comes a favorable year, when the
crops will repay the labor lost during
the lean years. The dry farming land
also serves a useful purpose from time
to time for home range for the cat
tie, and If the farm extends up into
the foothills TO the summer grazing
lands the cycle OF opportunity is COM
plete.