La Junta tribune., 1916-06-24
OUR HOMESTEAD LAW.
What II Has Done and What II VIII
Do--An Area Greater Than Ten
states Like Texas Taken Up.
by James I. Parker,
Maryland Building, Washington, ID. @


law in the early sixties was the apo
theosis OF federal legislation in re-
gard to the public lands. All that
preceded II was as bud to bloom. and
all that has followed has but accent
uated its strength and beauty. Be-
sides 1t was indigenous to our own
soil for 1t was not borrowed from the
agrarian laws or policies of any other
country ancient or modern. It's
friends claimed for II that II would
prove to be the most beneficent act
and time has justified their faith.
Within a decade after it's passage
were made. and under the lure of
free homes. ready transportation and
convenient markets. there poured out
upon the public lands OF the west
such a stream OF emigration as the
world has never seen before. and will
never see again however great the
homes upon the public domain. Look
where you would, the caravan of the
homeseeker might be seen making its
way toward the setting sun. Homes
were built. communities established
and commonwealths founded. The
sisterhood of states was increased
and many new and attractive stars
came to beautify and adorn Old
Glory.
During the second decade after
the passage OF the homestead law.
congress extended the liberal terms
under which the public lands might
be acquired by passing in 1877 the
desert land act. and In 1876 the tim
ber culture and the timber and stone
acts. Under the desert land act.
$40 acres could be acquired. and nn-
der each of the other two. lso acres
within few years. however. IL
came to be recognized that the rap
Id absorption OF the public domain
under the various public land laws
threatened II with extinction II was
known that one man could acquire
land, that the west was rapidly be-
coming the abiding place OF the
speculator and that the homeseeker
was being crowded out by the land
grabber. The attention OF congress
was finally arrested. so that on Au-
gust 80. 1890. II passed an act lim-
quired under all of the public land
laws to 320 acres. and on March ..
1891. IL passed an act repeating tn.
presumption and timber culture laws
and cutting In two the acreage that
could be acquired under the desert
land act, The laws remaining. how
that II was readily seen the time
was not far distant when there
would be no more arabic public land
for disposal by tn. United States
government except thos. ON which
crops could be raised only by arii-
fetal irrigation,
During the period when the alb
sorption of the public domain was
going on with such rapidity, and.
tain publicists both In and out OF
congress. began to direct III. atten-
tion Of the public TO III. possibilities
of the arid and semi.arid lands of
the west,
The agitation thus begun resulted
finally In IN. introduction into con
rrozs of what il now known as the
National Reclamation Act, an act
which provides that the proceeds
sixteen states and territories men
toned therein shall go into fund
known as the Reclamation Fund,
which under the direction and con-
troll of tn. Secretary Of the Interior.
shall b. used for III. purpos. OF re-
claiming III. arid lands In thos.
states and territories. and that such
lands when reclaimed. shall be dis
posed OF under the provisions OF the
homestead law. at such price per
acre as shall be determined by the
eos, of the projee, proraied among
tn. entire acreage reclaimed. The
money thus received for the reclaim.
I'd land goes back into the treasury
u and into the reclamation fund 10 be-
used for the reclamation Of other
4 arid lands. Thus u revolving fund
is created. the theory being that
when the last acre Of arid land II re-
claimed. entered and paid tor. the
last dollar advanced BY the govern