The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1921-06-12
By W. r. MORLEY

-. = NN"NN
lion acres Of land. this iand from a
range point ~ View wnH an originally
pubic domain; that IN. u belonged
10 the government. When New Mex
leo was ccded To the United states In
1852, ! believe, there were lmmedi-
ateiy, OF soon thereafter. claims put
"a ioi land grants, lands that had
been granted by the spanish Crown.
some two or three hundred years ago
Those land grants were fought
through the land courts and either
confirmed or rejected. Some slS mill
lion fonr hundred thousand acres OF
New Mexico area was confirmed 20
those original claimants Of those
spanish grants. AZ that time started
the picking over process OF New Mex
ico. and u is fair 10 assume that those
men three hundred years ago who
applied to the spanish Crown for
lands, applied for the best lands from
inG on continuously ever since. Amer
the spanish land grants we're con
nrmed homeatending ang small hold
ing claims. or squatters' righta cum
menced Immediately 10 create them
nslNea or be established Some Of
those sauatters' rights are still Ia
question, hui ! think most OF these
ATE settled. the sq~uatters rights dat
.nC back to "a period long before New
MeNico came Into the union.
The neNt large grants OF land were
created IN New Mexico. I think. about
the late Iu's OF early SOS. When the
Indian o military reservations were
created. There were about four mill
lion acres of land granted 10 the In
Indian "eservations Thes. lands. a.
you know, are free from tnxatIon and
form b lands belonging to tho In.
dians and such military posts a. there
ATE. All this time, particularly after
the latter part % the 7O's or enrly
Sos ~" homestead and the pre-cmp-
ton laws were being taken advantage
of and lands were being taken up In
iGu-ncrs lots.
A. YOU know. large grants OF land
were made 60 the railroads Tor build
Ing through this state. These arant-
consisted OF odd sections in the town
ship. ~ that where The railroad lands
lay the railroads we're granted half
Of the land within that area. being
b alternate section or checker board
system, tn" other sections remaining
a. un~apprupriated domain and subject
10 homestead, Some, | think, has
been homestendcd.
Next came the establishment ana
creation Of the forest reserves. About
~N.IHp.ou9 ncros we're put Into forest
reserves This land ~ administered
wv NW WY fAAAfNfMN InifNi SERVICE. I
and while u is leased u valuable |
fcr grazing purposes. " not handled
af ptlVat" lands. rs not LEASED by the
acre. but grazing IN conducted thereon |
under "a permit system and under the
fupervlsio Of the forestry office AZ
adjunct or ~ n part Of the fores,
service. whose chief function be-
lieye and understand TO he that OF
The conservation OF the timber supply
81 the nation. 7
In 1896 five million and n half
acres Of land were granted 90 New
Mexico Tor educational and other pub-
Tic purposes That was made In this
way. that s"ciions 10 and 80 Of every
township ~ unappropriated lands was
granted 10 the state Of New Mexico /
hrhoul purposes; then, when New
Mexico came into q state or before
h state lnnd grants were increased
by sections 2 and 80. In each town
ship of public land In New Mexico
the state has four sections. 2. i6. 20
and 20. which are known as school
And are leased aud handled
Nv the state land comissioner Now,
We came in az a state under the
enabling act. Tor educational and
other purposes. u further grant was
a. % state. bringing the total
amount ~ state lands no 10 approSi-
mately 1850. 600 acres. This state
tNNN VIZ NNA ufNih lAAfu MN kfnONIl
sections, hut the right and privilege
was Efinted 10 select thos" lands
wh.r" thry chose; that selection was
under the supervision aud direc-
ton Of the land office, usually by
OF the slate who would want
s"ll' oi thhl lana inner 20 purchase
ur lease ana applied 10 the state for
ne selection "t Shch tracts % land as
h'I Whii'd " ntt"f being exam
lN'n anu nillinN"d ny me lhnd OF
i'' 'hr '"l''liohs Wer" MAJ" ana the
lhhl h"ld W 'h' appilchnt' or leased
20 mem Ihe poinl want In Impress
N"h . iN.i we N"w MeNifo chlle
ll'l "f nav" q numhTf OF
tNpts ana classes % ranges
on Whl'h in"F depend tor their op-
ihll"ilN y lhelf usin'N Now
'l',' l'hN"H ~rttnhihlnr mos" grhhts
ihn lhuAt ~'ollons OF innd thnt nave
nhin'rhicd YAK" ~ AhNoo 90" acres
nI N'W M'Nlrni under homest"ndlnE
'll N'i"''lnn "I U'h' sctlpt ana oih"r
in'ii"iS nl requiring patents Tor Eov-
'ffllufuN lMluNs ana uuuNt "a. hNN, 600