Arizona republican., 1913-11-10
Secretary of Interior Says There Has Been Much Misunderstanding Among Western HOmesteaders as to Necessary Procedure
ACTION SIMPLE
 AND DIRECT
Practically All Depends Upon Submission of Alb sOlute Proof That Land in Question is Positively NOn-Irrigable
Especial to The Republican,

| l WASHINGTON, D. C., Nov. 9.-The
 32O-acre homestead law, or. as it is 1 often called, the enlarged homestead l law, has made possible the entry of many million acres of dry land in the
 western states in tracts double the size ! allowed under the original homestead law. Only land which has been "des- l ignated' by the secretary of the inter l for as n-irrigable" can be entered under this act. More than 20O,OOO,OOO acres have been thus designated, but petitions and sworn statements re- questing further designations are con- stantly being received.
 In an interview just given out, Sec retary Lane calls attention to the fact that there appears to be considerable misunderstanding among western homesteaders as to the procedure nec- essary in order that enlarged home stead designations may be made. The secretary states that only the simplest and most direct action by the set tier is required, and that it is wholly unnecessary for him to incur the charges now made by attorneys who draw up formal petitions that are in fact no more effective than the home steaders own letter would be. On this account brief statement of the essen tiaI facts relative to the enlarged home stead law is timely.
 The first enlarged homestead act was approved February 19, 1909, and as later amended provides that in the states of Arizona. California, Colorado, Idaho. Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, Washing ton and Wyoming, any person who is qualified to make entry under the homestead laws may enter as much as 32O acres of public land which is in a reasonably compact body and is non mineral, non-irrigable. unreserved, and unappropriated and does not contain merchantable timber Before such en- try can be made. however the land must be designated by the secretary of the interior as not being, in his opin- ion, susceptible of successful irrigation at a reasonable cost from any known source of water supply.
 The work of classifying the lands and determining what areas may be considered non-irrigabIe has been as signed by Secretary Lane to the United States geological survey Although, under the present ruling of the secre- tary. large areas may be designated as non-irrigable without raising the ques- tion whether the land is in other re- spects subject to homestead entry, the work of examining and classifying these large areas necessarily proceeds rather slowly. Tn addition to these so- called "blanket' designations, there fore. designations of smaller areas are made rapidly as their non -irriga bIe character is determined. including areas whose designation has been re- quested by individual settlers for en- larged homestead entry or for addi- tional entry on tracts adjacent to their present unprotected homestead entries.
 No definite form of petition is re- quired, but each applicant should be limited as far as possible to the spe- cific tract desired for entry and should contain a description by section, town ship, and range, of the applicants or
 (COptipT1ed On Pa o-a T1vaIvo !