, 1923-02-11

ulII1lIllSIllIlS anu JIldI SOIIlG wv
last fiscal year disposed of by patent.
we still have in round figures about
seventeen million acres more to dis.
pose OF under existing laws. This is
not n large acreage as compared with
the amount on hand n few years ago,
yet / cannot help but add, that 1t Is
still n goodly quantity and a much
greater area than is to be found in
n other state with the exception
of Utah, Nevada and California.
The greatest factor in diminishing
the supply during recent years is, of
course. due to the enlarged and stock
raising homestead acts which Is large.
ly responsible for the disposition of
several million acres since the war.
A large amount of this acreage was
acquired by soldiers who were favored
by congressional regulations for their
benefits, making It possible to secure
title to the surface rights Of $40 acres
in only one years time.
Lands Remaining Grazing.
II is needless to state that prac.
tically all vacant lands in Wyoming
compose what is usually termed graz.
ing lands and better suited. under
EV0lCAI SOAA04LSlLCg " odSAA USES llldAl
for ordinary farm culture without re-
course to irrigation. We know, how
ever. that there are vas areas in our
state still vacant which can and un.
douhtedly will be reclaimed through
the agencies Of larger irrigation
sehamea either under government or
private control. for the higher clean
aAgO-brush mesas at present lying be-
ypnd the reach of present irrigation
systems surpass the lowlands in every
respect Therefore, 1t is hardly fair
to label the entire body Of our remain.
ing public domain in Wyoming as
suitable for grazing purposes only
without a qualifying statement.
Benefit Of Soldiers.
BY far the greatest number of ap.
plIcations filed within the last fiscal
year. that is, from June 80, 1921, to
June 80, 1929, were filed by ex-service
men owing to the very liberal pro-
vtsions OF the homestead law favoring
h~onorably discharged soldiers of the
late war. Among the most notable of
these filings in a wholesale way was
the well known drawing which took
place at Torrington and at Lander,
wyoming, upon 1860 acres in
Goshenjcounty and 5000 acres in Park
and Big Horn counties in September.
1921. 1t is scarcely necessary to state
that practically all of the lands opened
at that time have been filed upon but
It ID gratifying to relate in connection
Herewith that a majority of the ex-
service men who held reunions in the
above named towns, many of them
having fought as comrades on the
shell-swept fields Of France. have boon
engaged for a year or more in the
peaceful pursuits Of making our Wyo-
ming deserts bloom with alfalfa,
wheat and corn. II is more crafty.
ing still to be able to note that these
same soldiers are making good as
neiEhbors and farmers and hat there
las been very little tendency to evade
any of the provisions of the acts
under which they were permitted to
settle upon irrigated lands. Follow
ing are some OF the more outstand-
ing acts referred to which r still in
effect:
Act Of February Is. 1913. providing
credit for. not to exceed two years
"a service. to be deducted from the
three years residence period required
under the ordinary homestead law.
House Joint Resolution No. 80 pro-
videa that all ex-service men shall