El Nuevo mexicano., 1916-02-17

the other g0vernman rs are doing
''1ft should invite the peahse OF TIL
United States to acquire in private
~Ecwnership tie remainiae public land
Instead Of throwing obstacles arouns
the ACQUISITION az these lands ang
their settlement But, Mr.. President
instead of the Inspector from thl
public land oilce being welcomed Ak
he should be-, by the homesteader de
string to settle His family upon ths
public domain; instead 81 his being
received with pleasure BY the chill
dren Of that man. when he arrives In
sight, as their friend, who Is able tC
show them how TO comply with the
law and how to acquire their homes:
instead Of his being received in that
way, the old frontiersman feels, SIR,
that II he could carry out his wishes
i the matter ne would receive him at
the point Of 9 Winchester rife when
ne gets within rifle shot Of the front
door, because he comes as an en-
envy.
| am stating these as facts from
thirty-odd years Of personal expert
ence and familiarity with this south
western country may say in pass
ing, that Il has been my fortune to be
associated with some Of the larger
private irrigation projects in my couri-
try and with some Of the railroads
seeking to develop that country with
the various development enterprises,
and ! think ! know somewhat Of what
am speaking IN this instance. !
bave on file here, filed several years
ago, appeals to the then secretary Of
the interior-not the present incum-
bent Of that oflce-tO modify In some
way If possible, the feeling that ex-
listed, at least through instructions to
the special agents and the ~inyestiga-
tors Of this department in our portion
Of the country.
II Is hard enough for any mai from
Nevada. from New Mexico. from Ariz-
ona. of from one Of the other public
land states IL imnress the real situa-
ton unon senators who have no know
ledge. and could have no personal
knowledge 81 the conditions existing
IN each Of these states. II is hard
enough 10 q any kind of remedial
legislation 4 IN every efforf made
~ such 4 senator there Il always an
amendment or some prouosed com.
nromjse or something offered which
possibly units the bill for his pllr-
nose. For that reason / have said
that the senator from Nevada. Of
course understanding the conditions
there. NAV know mat his peopIe can
dispose of GAO acres without inviting
the charge Of collision - fraud; they
may pc able 70 dispose 81 64V-acre
tracts " ihulvlaaaiss WAtl say ~
MIN however lhat y e4peilenee
the act ol 4ese WIS TINS
4 great DOMAIN z,vVV,VVV acres or
more was srantea 70 View MEXICO
WIN ths 2 I z@'VVV acres
py c~pliusioh' as ~ y CLAIMED. IL
one ~ the tlmDer uistrlcss ~ New
MeXico g 2 10y q enlfymen, eacn
securing lou acres-on thls land thefe
was no residence reQuirea-Wltn the
exception Fl tha tract ana one or
otner tracts q similar character
optalheu ~ 2 slmliar wayslt was Az
soiateiy lmpossiple tor Mexico
70 dispose n q loot oL tnat ianu.
blgnty acres, 1 mini out o. z,oVv,V0o
acres OF iand' went 70 actuai seLtiersl
We're sucn iahus a. couid not
pe usea uniess they couid ACQUIRE
more tnan 10y acres. 70 the only VIZ
maue OF lpls ianu was hnder
sucn melhoas az prousnt ABOUT suits
Ply tne uhlleu STATES government W
sse tnae the purposes o. the law were
carried out! paralyzing the industry
Of New Mexico for years. They we're
finally compromised, and the parties
did not 20 to the p~enftentiary. THAT
is as much as can say for them.
But SO far as the beneficial results
were concerned, they were absoiute-
" nil. VIZ had the lands. but Ne
could not DISPOSE 81. them.
/ believe firmly that in New Mex
leo a 640-acre limit would only result
IN this: We would take it, Of course.
and then come back to at
the next session and ask 1t to relieve
Ehe 64O-acre limit stiIl more. and We
would keep coming to congress I'M
Ill We finally ~pefsuaded If in one wav
Or another to give lis more: and in
the meantime Ne would BE- looking
with some little degree Of partially
10 the sale of those lands and with
lot too much strictness to the man