Yellowstone monitor. [volume] (Glendive, Mont.) 1905-1928, 1909-02-18

/ mineral III the matter OF procuring
title TO their lands have been the
Isubject Of much discussion in the
Public Land Committees Of both
branches Of Congress. Several mea-
sures, local III application have been
introduced, and one measure gener-
al IN its application has been favor
ably reported from the Committee
on Public Lands Of the House. This
measure provides for granting only
surface rights on the land embraced
within an entry to the settler, and
that coal deposits in such lands shall
be subject to disposal by the United
States in accordance with The provi-
sions of the coal lands law in force
at the time Of such disposal. Judg-
ing from the temper in which the
proposed legislation is received by
Western representatives generally.
there appears TO be no likelihood of
the measure being passed during
this Congress.
Senator Carter, of Montana when
asked for his views in regard to the
proposed legislation, said:
i view with deep regret the be-
ginning Of a policy which will bring
confusion to all our titles by Great
ing two kinds Of estates in lands,
toWit: a surface right to be vested
in one person, and right below the
surface to be vested in another
This would entail upon posterity I'M
told misery and a limitless burden
of litigation and according to my
view there is no excuse or justifca-
ton for such policy as applied to
land merely suspected Of containing
beds Of Ignite coal underneath the
surface. Where coal is known to ex-
ist, the land should be sold as coal
land and good title given to the pur-
chaser, and where coal is not
known to exist and agricultural in
character, our children and their
children should not be compelled to
face the spectre Of litigation and
trouble sucn as unsettled and indie
finite title always brings to a coun-
try and people. The great practi-
cal work of developing the West and
building up homes there has been
greatly retarded and interfered
with by the intrusion of theories
and the application of policies which
generally result in giving fat offices
to impractical, If highly educated
gentlemen. Il the settlers and the
country can be let alone. the laws
on Statute books fairly enforced,
we will get along infinitely better in
the West than If compelled to pro-
coed uuder the guidance of Bureaus,
Commissioners, experts and special
agents. | am eternally opposed to
this idea that the American farmer
needs a guardian. He needs oppor-
tunity and should be let alone to
prosecute his Industrious life unham-
pered by constant interference from
public officers. =
Senator Dixon. when asked for
his views concerning the proposed
measure was inclined to express a
favorable opinion Of the bill. It pro-
7ldes for protection of rights of sur
face entrynen in that nothing
contained in the bill shall be held to
affect or abridge the right of any
ocator, selector, or entryman to a
for the purpose of deter
mining the character Of the land
coated, selected or entered by him,
md to patent without reservation
f the land shall be determined not to
oe chiefly valuable for coal, or to
bridge or deny the right Of any
.ntryman who has earned title to
he land covered by his entry to
,atent without reservation. !"
A delegation from Helena, com
'osed Of n. B. Hotter. T. A. NARROW
nd Jeremiah Collins, called upon
he Director Of the Reclamation Ser
ice in company with the Montana
elegation in Congress last week in
n endeaYor to enlist the aid Of that
ranch Of the Government Service |
4 the Inauguration of reclamation |
reject in the Prickly Pear Valley.
! is desired TO establish an irriga- ,
ion project in the Valley under the
lpervision Of the Government on
ae cooperative plan, water to be
unDed from the Missouri River