Page:U.S. Department of the Interior Annual Report 1877.djvu/23

Rh will always remain unsold and valueless. The government and railroad company jointly lease to responsible stock-growers all lands lying west of the one hundredth meridian of longitude in blocks of, say, from 50 to 500 square miles, at such an annual rental, and for such term of years, and with such other restrictions as will best protect the interest of the government and railroad company, and will give the stock-raiser such a right to his range as will protect him from encroachment, and warrant him in fencing his range, besides making permanent investments in corrals and ranch buildings. The arguments in favor of some such plan as this are so many, and the objections so few, that it seems to me only necessary to have it presented to Congress in proper form to insure its adoption. The enormous increase of the cattle-interest on the western plains, and the present chaotic state of the grazing system, demand that some intelligent action should be taken at once.

I concur with the writer of this letter as to the general object in view with regard to lands not irrigable. It appears to me that the system of leasing those lands would be preferable to that of selling them in large bodies, for the reason that it would leave open to the government another disposition of them in the future, if such should become advisable. Instead of the suggested plan of leases to be made “jointly” by the government and the land-grant railroad companies to stock-raisers, I would recommend that an arrangement be made with such railroad companies by which in desert-land regions the latter receive the even sections in addition to the odd sections on one side of the road, and release to the government the odd sections on the other, so that by the government as well as the railroad companies the land on either side of the roads be held in a solid body. If the system of leasing desert lands not irrigable be adopted, care should be taken so to regulate it by law as to prevent wealthy capitalists from obtaining temporary possession of very large tracts to the exclusion of stock-raisers of small means, especially in the vicinity of the great lines of transportation. It would be very questionable policy to lease “blocks” of so large a size as 500 square miles, to one party, as the writer of the letter above quoted suggests. While the homestead law is practically inapplicable to desert lands, its general object should not be lost sight of. It is a matter of public interest, not only that there be as much stock raised, but also that there should be as many stock-raisers accommodated, as possible, on the public lands of that description.

I would respectfully ask that the attention of Congress be invited to this important subject.

Congress, at its last session, passed an act to provide for the sale of desert lands in certain States and Territories. This act provides—

First. That citizens of the United States, and persons of certain specified qualifications, may file with the register and receiver of any land-district in which desert land is situated, a declaration of intention under oath, to reclaim within three years thereafter, by irrigation, a tract of desert land, surveyed or unsurveyed, not exceeding one section; and that upon payment of twenty-five cents per acre the applicant shall acquire an inchoate right thereto.

Second. That at any time thereafter within the period above named, upon making satisfactory proof to said register and receiver of the reclamation of said tract of land,