Graham guardian., 1912-11-08
|ARE WAKING UP CONTROL OF WEST
Will the Future Settler Be
Able to Secure a Deed 10
His Property


which will be considered at the an
nual convention of the American
Mining Congress, which meets at
Spokane, Washington, during the
week of November 25-29th, concerns
the future management and control
of the public lands which include
more than half the acreage of the
United States west of a north and
south line passing through the east
ern border of Colorado.
Whatever of development and
prosperity has come TO this section
of the United States and whatever
of benefit which this section has
given to the nation at large. has
come through a wise and liberal
administration of public land laws
designed to offer the largest induce
ment to the pioneer. ..
Under a liberal administration of
these laws, these pioneers have de-
veloped a civilization second to none
in the world, have provided con-
tinuing stream of gold which has
constituted the basis of our none
tary system and which, du ing the
days of Civil War, saved the nation $
credit and made possible a united
nation.
In accomplishing these benefits, a
very liberal construction has been
applied to the technical wording of
the statutes, a construction SEEM
ingly justified by the intent of the
statutes and the purpose for which
they were created.
This construction, so long followed,
has been so generally recognized
that the western pioneer has read
the law in the light of such uniform
construction. and upon this assump-
ton many enterprises have been
predicted in which millions of dol
lars have been invested, only to find
that a more recent administrative
policy anticipates the most strict
construction of the law. Under this
changed construction, from which
there is practically no appeal, many
enormous Investments are made
valueless and aggravating require
ments create delays which greatly
obstruct and hamper the continu-
ance of the enterprises already un-
dertaken and absolutely prohibit sll
new undertakings. 1t is freely as
serted and generally believed that
this administrative policy carries
with it an effort to accomplish, by
indirection, what the law does not
justify by the most technical cor
struction, in order to establish a
new system of land tenures; that
through this indirect method of
withholding from private ownership
public lands needed for develop
ment of western enterprises, con-
ditions are being kept in statu quo
until Congress may provide an en-.
tirely new system fer control of the
public lands.
Thus far. aside from a general
protest, the West has not agreed
upon any definite policy touching
this far reaching question. 1t is
hoped that the resolutions, Gdopted |
at the Spokane convention, upon
this subject, will create a fixed pol
icy and that the delegation from the
several western states will be SO
representative that the policy agreed
upon will have the united support
of the western states. To this end,
an invitation has been issued to each
of the governors of the arid land |
states to attend the convention. take
part in its discussions and assist in
the framing of a policy which will
be thoroughly representative.
Governor John +. Shafroth. of
Colorado, will lead this discussion.
Gov. Shafroth has, for years, given
this subject careful consideration
and brings to its discussion the value
OF long experience in public af-
fairs, both as member of Congress
and as governor. 1t is confidently |
40 ,,,,aiaJ ll,l rui