The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1915-08-13
CONGRESSMAN SMITH IS
NOTING CONDITIONS
IN IDAHO

Congressman Smith has returned
nome after an extended trip through
,he eastern part of the state, having
Deen as tar southeast as Fish Haven
on Bear Lake and north to Ashton,
said:
My visit to the eastern section OF
the state was primarily for the pur.
pose, OF studying the dry farming
conditions and with the view of as
Gertalning what changes in the land
laws would contribute to the more
rapid entry of the public lands still
available
am more than ever convinced
that law authorizing title after three
years OF cultivation without residence.
unless water can be secured for do
meStlc purposes at a reasonable depth
VIII bring about rapid DEVELOPMENT
OF the remaining public lands, which
are adapted TO cultivation BY the
dry farm method. | found in some
instances that settlers had entered
land twenty miles from the postoffice,
/ and in country where water could
not be secured at a depth of less thar
/ tour hundred feet, and yet with the
hope Of securing title many entrymen
are taking up the land, notwithstand-
ing the tact that they are required to
live upon it seven months out of the
year. There are numerous contests.
and entrymen i'll many instances lose
their homes and Improvements be-
cause OF their occasional absence
from their claim.
talked with young man who
during the two and one-half wears
since he entered his land had con-
structed a comfortable residence, built
a barn large enough for eight horses,
cultivated twenty acres and fenced a
good portion of his land. In order to
earn money to make these improve
ments he secured a position in a
neighboring town, and at a time when
his wife and little child were absent
from the claim, contest was entered
and the department decided that the
entry should be cancelled, because OF
lack of continuous residence, which
gave preference right of entry to the
contestant The savings of many
years was thus lost, regardless of the
fact that this cntryman was spending
as much time on the land as possible,
in view Of the fact that he had to earn
money at wages to make improve
ments.
in another instant. which came
to my attention a )ung nan had
gone up on the MOI itain side and
rakc2 up 4 dry land t. ,nl2stead No
water for domestic pur roses was OBJ
tainable nearer than 20 miles. 1t
was also necessary fol him to go
away to earn money to improve the
place, and during his abS ence special
agent of the goVernmC Mt entered a
protest because of lack of continuous
residence, and upon his report the en-
try will doubtless BE cancelled and
thrown back on the public domain
am told that there are many in
stances, and that frequently entrymen
are treated as criminals, regardless OF
the fact that they are doing every
thing possible to meet the rigid pro-
visions of the public land laws, re-
curing residence regardless of the
necessity of them leaving the claim
in order to earn money to improve it
Under the desert land law title is
given for an expenditure of one dollar
per acre each year for three years
and the placing of water upon por.
ton of the land. Where it is a ply.
steal impossibility to secure water fol
domestic purposes on a homestead
entry, title should be given after three
years cultivation of the land without
residence.
Under the homestead law residence
| g ranr,iraI To thn ClI1cinn nf n hnT11f
elsewhere, with little regard to The
amount of land cultivated. The gov
eminent should be more concerned ii
regard to the cultivation of the lane
and less in regard to the actual resi-
, dence where it is impossible to Sc
cure water for domestic purposes
i, Under existing conditions the dry
farmers can have no schools, church
or community life, They can no
raise a garden, nor have cow, no
horses, unless they are equipped tC
haul water and hay and grain TO
feed. After the land is once cleared
there is nothing to be done excepting
to seed the land in the fall harrow i
and harvest the crop, and yet the Law
requires that the enryman must re
main upon the land for seven month
, out of each year, regardless of thes
facts. A great many prospective en-
, trymen decline to enter the dry lan'
when they learn that residence is re
, quired, as they realize the hardship
: which would be imposed upon thei
: wives and children.
l "If law is passed permitting tn
= cultivation of the land instead of resi-
: dence as an evidence OF good faitt
i. every acre of land that can be cult
. waited by the dry farm method will b
, entered within a few years, and b
: placed upon the tax list. The popula
| ton of the state will rapidly increas
: and hundreds of thousands OF acre
/ which are now idle will be in cultiva
; ton bringing great wealth to tn
: state.
: Another law which | will endes
D vor to have enacted at the next Sc:
r sion of Congress is one which will at
r thorize eighteen year old boys to in
+ tate an entry on the public domai
r with the provision that the cannot 81