SECOND REPORT OF PUBLIC LANDS 



COMMISSION 



A Document Touching a Vital National Problem that 

 Deserves the Most Careful Reading by all Citizens 



1. This report is based on a broad lands, but recommends the following 

 general view of the public-land situa- flexible plan : 



tion, not on specific cases. (a) Authority should be given to 



2. The present laws are not suited the President to set aside grazing dis- 

 to meet the conditions of the remain- tricts by proclamation. 



ing public domain. (b) Authority should be given the 



3. The agricultural possibilities of Secretary of Agriculture to classify 

 the remaining public domain are un- and appraise the grazing value of 

 known. Provision should be made to lands in these districts ; to appoint such 

 ascertain them, and, pending such as- officers as the care of each district 

 certainment, to hold under Govern- may require; to charge and collect a 

 ment control and in trust for such use moderate fee for grazing permits, and 

 the lands likely to be developed by to make and apply appropriate regula- 

 actual settlers. tions to each district, with the special 



4. The right to exchange lands in object of bringing about the largest 

 forest reserves for lands outside should permanent occupation of the country 

 be withdrawn. Provision should be by actual settlers and home seekers, 

 made for the purchase of needed pri- 10. The fundamental fact that char- 

 vate lands inside forest reserves, or acterizes the situation under the pres- 

 for the exchange of such lands for ent public-land law is this, that the 

 specified tracts of like area and value number of patents issued is increasing 

 outside the reserves. out of all proportion to the number 



5. The former recommendation for of new homes, 

 the repeal of the timber and stone act 



is renewed and emphasized SECOND PARTIAL R ^ PORT OF THE PUBLIC 



6. Ihe sale of timber from unre- 

 served public lands should be author- ^ ANDS COMMISSION. 



^ized. SIR: This Commission, appointed 



7. The commutation clause of the October 22, 1903, to report upon the 

 homestead act is found on examination condition, operation, and effect of the 

 to work badly. Three years' actual present land laws, and to recommend 

 residence should be required before such changes as are needed to effect 

 commutation. the largest practicable disposition of 



8. The desert-land law is found to the public lands to actual settlers who 

 lead to land monopoly in many cases, will build permanent homes upon 

 The area of a desert entry should be them, and to secure in permanence the 

 reduced to not exceeding 160 acres, fullest and most effective use of the 

 Actual residence for not less than two resources of the public lands, submit- 

 years should be required, with the ted to you a partial report dated 

 actual production of a valuable crop March 7, 1904, which was printed as 

 on one-fourth the area and proof of Senate Document No. 188, Fifty- 

 an adequate water supply. eighth Congress, second session. In 



9. After thorough investigation of this report reference was made to the 

 the grazing problem your Commission magnitude of the problems and to the 

 is opposed to the immediate application fact that it was not then practicable to 

 of any rigid system to all grazing reach definite conclusions on a num- 



