THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



147 



openings was about 20 per cent of anticipations. Why 

 is this falling off of interest in homes upon public 

 domain ? Apparent reasons are : a period of prosperity 

 in all communities, restricted inducements to pioneers, 

 and the system of espionage inaugurated by the federal 

 government upon homesteaders. An average American 

 citizen will not endure the insinuation that lies behind 

 visits of special agents, that he must be watched in order 

 to be honest. 



Do not understand me to advocate opening flood 

 gates of speculative venture under government projects, 

 but give the old boys a chance, the vanguard of actual 

 settlers' who by main strength and with bare hands, 

 built crude canals, initiated and demonstrated an idea, 

 do not call them sooners, and don't accuse us of fraud 

 because their habitations are rude and crude, and lack 

 luxury of interior and artistic architecture. We know 

 they are not comfortable, why aggregate our worriments ? 

 Many of the boys lost everything in that titanic struggle, 

 but with hope anew, rushed into new areas, trusting that 

 our government would acknowledge their services, would 

 give them opportunity to recoup sufficient foundation to 

 prevent impending despondency in old age not to 

 reduce their holdings, so that they must toil on and on 

 for a mere living. Executives of free America should 

 not permit a tyranny of law to become an executioner 

 of hope. 



I am of the opinion that new settlers upon re- 

 claimed areas will make best citizens is subject to as 

 few restrictions as possible. For instance while a water 

 users' association is an essential to get deeded lands sub- 

 scribed for water and to guarantee compliance with 

 federal law, as it now stands the law itself does not com- 

 pel or urge upon new homesteaders a membership. If 

 it is necessary for homesteaders to subscribe for water 

 to cover that deficiency in the law which says "a half of 

 the unit area must be reclaimed," permit them to do so 

 as individuals. Associations and community of interest, 

 while absolutely essential to some degree, subordinates, 

 nevertheless, individualism and after all its the indi- 

 vidual, the human entity that does things. The great 

 big West, and its large distinctive men, are a result of 

 lack of restraining laws. They are the product which 

 might be expected where mental and moral character 

 are an evolution of self control and not of an enjoining 

 arm of land. 



Thus I say give greater inducements, less espionage 

 and give the greatest possible degree of individual liberty 

 compatible with rights of others. It will develop the 

 West better and more rapidly, and the new people of the 

 new West will be whole-souled, splendid specimens of 

 humanity, which the world loves, admires and seeks to 

 emulate; a citizenship, the usfulness and influence of 

 which has no circumscribing boundaries within the 

 realm of man or man's intelligence. 



A bill has been introduced in Congress by Senator 

 Heyburn providing for the establishment of district 

 land courts throughout the country and a court of 

 appeals. Should it become a law it will divorce the in- 

 terior department from this work in the future and will 

 put an end to political interference with decision in 

 land cases. The bill provides for the establishment of 

 additional courts of the United States to be known as 

 district land courts in each state and territory in which 



are situated lands subject to entry and sale under the 

 laws of the United States wherever such lands exceed 

 one million acres. When a state or territory has not 

 one million acres of public land the court in the nearest 

 adjoining state is given jurisdiction. These special 

 courts are to be given power to review the decisions of 

 the registers and receivers of the local land offices. The 

 bill further provides for the appointment by the presi- 

 dent of a judge for each land district court at $5,000 

 per annum. Provision is also made for the appointment 

 of a clerk for each court at a salary of $2,500 per 

 annum. The usual method of appeal applying in the 

 United States district courts are made applicable to 

 the new courts thus to be created. It seems a very 

 strange thing indeed that we have arrived at that critical 

 period in our civilization when we must load ourselves 



Nine-Foot Oats near Buena Vista, Colo., on 

 Denver & Rio Grande Railway. 



up with special courts, commissions and other undemo- 

 cratic paraphernalia destined to concentrate all our 

 doings under one federal power. In other words, we 

 have come to a pretty turn in the road when we have 

 to set a thief to watch a thief and thus pungle up the 

 whole theory of a free and democratic government. 

 Denver Field and 'Farm. 



Send $2*50 for The Irrigation 



Age one year and 

 The Primer of Irrigation 



