The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-10-01
Growth Evident.

Growth Evident.
Senator Smoot declared that the need
OF the country and the people had out
grown the land laws made In the earl,
days Of western development. He sale
mat th sentiment had grown up lately II
the alton demanding a change OF tn,
land policy and that such a change mus
come quickly. In part he said:
In 1911, $4,000 American citizens
treked into Canada and took up lands.
This number has greatly increased
exodus is maintained fully 100000
Americans will have departed their
native heath for the alleged greater
opportunities Of Canada in the twelve
months ending next January 1, They
them. we can afford to % lose "she the
capital but We cannot afford to lose
the men. for they are the home
builders. the farmers. the empire
builders that this great western coun-
try so greatly needs.
1t Is said with good reason that
the cause OF this Canadian move
ment lies In the greater liberality OF
the Canadian land regulation This
believe. the Canadian law is no
more liberal than the American law
The difference lies in the administra-
tion Of the law. In America the pol
Icy has come to be one Of rigid and
every homesteader. It Is policy
born of the abuse of earlier days
There Is no doubt but, that millions
OF acres. OF valuable timber lands
and agricultural tracts were taken
eoughly and by fraud. In an attempt
to stop that fraud the policy has be-
come burdensome In the extreme to
the honest homesteader. In many
i,,cy HA Lnc 1nok IL
years Of labor, through some techni-
calty blndly inforced in the admin
istration OF the law.
Stands With Fisher.
Several changes, such as the three
year homestead act and other pro-
visions have tended to lessen the
the administration has not changed.
II is there we must seek the rem
edy, We must treat the entrymen as
a welcome conner upon the land.
Interior Fisher when he declares.
ut is the man on the land that I
am concerned with" We must not
hedge him about with obsolete pro-
visions nor consider him thief un-
verse the rule as they do In Canada
We must exercise an intelligent and
reasonable administration Of the nee
essary regulations. such as will alb
yniust t1sstrept ,ne Aao Il e,d from I'm
we'll to continue the revision Of the
laws until they meet the demands OF
the people,
These changes must come quickly II
we would stop the terrific drain OF our
best citizenship TO Canada and insure
the continuance OF the splendid move
ment that has developed and peopled
the western part of America in the
past.
The land laws of Canada In them
selves should not be SO very attractive
to American citizens. have noticed
always that the American homestead
he sets his. heart and hopes upon
In Canada the patent to land grant
Is limited. The government reserves
to Itself all mineral. timber and
water wealth that may be found or
developed on the homesteader's
tract Americans do not want to be
tenants. they want to be land owners
without restrictions.
Time Extended.
Later In his speech Senator smoo
told Of his own bill reserving to the stat
possibility OF water power development
He failed to reconcile the slight incon
gruity In his argument as applied to tn
In defense of his own bill
At the conclusion Of the thirty minute
allowed to speakers, Senator Smoot wa
unanimously granted an extension c
time. He spoke another half hour. goin
into detail on land questions He sal
he favored conservation Of national re
sources In a measure. but denounced tn
policy OF locking up the resources for un
born generations as extreme and unnec
essary. With proper regulation the grea
wealth OF the country could be utilize
by the present generation TO Its full need
without epcroach'ng upon the rights O
poa+erity, he said
~ we cannot pursue a liberal polio
In this matter without running afoul O
monopoly and Its evils. then I favor
lea sing system whereby the land nar