Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-03-15

ment that the result of the suit then
pending against the American Lum-
Der company. or of any other action OF
his already taken or proposed, would
be to ieopardize the selection of a
Roosevelt delegation" from New
Mexico to the national republican con
yertion, he would cease all efforts to-
ward such action Immediately that
he was d practical politician etc,
etc
Now a little history:
The Ferguson land bill through
which territorial lands were given BY
outright grant to the territory of New
Mexico. was passed in lieu of cash
appropriation. for the assistance Of
the University of New Mexico and
other territorial Institutions and
schools. 1t was SO understood at the
time Of its passage and was so under
stood later when an attempt was made
to dispose of the lands for the pur-
poses indicated in the congressional
act
The different territorial institutions
We're in need of large sums of money
for building, equipment maintenance
etc, II was apparent to the logisla-
turc of New Mexico. selected by the
people of the territory, and TO the
then territorial officials, that immedi-
ate funds could not be obtained from
the sale of those lands to individual
actual settlers upon each one hundred
and sixty acre tract. The congress
sional act itself provided than only
one hundred and sixty acres should
be sold to any one individual person
or corporation--it did not provide
that any such individual, person or
should, in applying fol
the purchase of one hundred and
sixty acres make affidavit or state
ment that he intended to live upon
the land, that he had not already
of it; that he did not intend
thereafter to dispose if it, or that he
intended to use it for any purpose
whatsoever. There was no such re-
1urement with reference to the pur-
chase of these lands, as is embodied
IN the homestead law or regulations
the disposition of other
public lands of the United States. SO
much as to the disposition of lands |
The funds 'erived from the sale of
such lands were to be disposed of by |
he territorial legislature, or as it |
might direct, for the benefit of the
Institutions whose lands were sold. |
The government of the United states ,
neither expressly nor by implication, |
'eserved any right whatsoever to SUI |
)ervise the disposition of these sfunds |
Tor the sale of the lands themselves
In the heat of political campaigns
harges were made that Governor
)tero and others We're disposing of
hese lands or some of them. at less
han their value, and were receiving
considerations for so doing No
harge was being made in the terri
ory by political opponents or other
wise. in the heat of political cam
,agns e. IL the al aness surround
ng the executive office under the Ha-
,erman administration, that any
raud had been committed by the
ale of these lands to individual pur-
haScrs, who had in turn transferred |
hem or appointed some corporation
$ their agent to receive the title.
In no instance to the writer's know
edge had any attempt been made to
uppress the well known fact that in
he ease of the Alamogordo Lumber
ompany, for example something like
wenty thousand acres of land had
een bought by individuals in one
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