And State Papers 389 



or the making of his home will fail. Let us keep 

 that fact before our minds. Do not misunderstand 

 me when I have spoken of the defects of our land 

 laws. Our land laws have served a noble purpose 

 in the past and have become the models for other 

 governments. The homestead law has been a nota 

 ble instrument for good. To establish a family per 

 manently upon a quarter section of land, or of course 

 upon a less quantity if it is irrigated land, is the 

 best use to which it can be put. The first need of 

 any nation is intelligent and honest citizens. Such 

 can come only from honest and intelligent homes, 

 and to get the good citizenship we must get the good 

 homes. It is absolutely necessary that the remainder 

 of our public land should be reserved for the home- 

 maker, and it is necessary in my judgment that 

 there should be a revision of the land laws and a 

 cutting out of such provisions from them as in actual 

 practice under present conditions tend to make pos 

 sible the acquisition of large tracts for speculative 

 purposes or for the purpose of leasing to others. 



Citizenship is the prime test in the welfare of 

 the Nation; but we need good laws; and above 

 all we need good land laws throughout the West. 

 We want to see the free farmer own his home. 

 The best of the public lands are already in pri 

 vate hands, and yet the rate of their disposal is 

 steadily increasing. More than six million acres 

 were patented during the first three months of the 

 present year. It is time for us to see that our re 

 maining public lands are saved for the home-maker 



