DRY FARMING CONGRESS. 



87 



the homesteader in the west should be permitted a larger area than now 

 allowed. 



I am also clearly of the opinion that the old method of offering lands, 

 which was found so successful in the disposition of public lands years ago, 

 be made applicable to the purely grazing lands in the west, at leas.t in a 

 limited way, so that purely grazing lands might be sold outright to actual 

 settlers residing in the locality in reasonable sized tracts, and on long time 

 payments so that title would not pass until the dry farmer and the stock 

 raiser combined had ample time to establish himself in the profitable 

 business of mixed farming and stock raising. It may be said that that would 

 throw open the doors to fraud, but I don't believe it would. I believe 

 that the experience that the department has had in the past two years with 

 the men who have been guilty of this practice has been such that in the 

 future men will not settle on lands for another. If these lands were culti- 

 vated and sold out to actual settlers in blocks necessary to 

 maintain a family — whatever acreage is found to be necessary, and on ten 

 years' time, requiring a small payment down and a little every two years 

 — if it runs for ten years — and make the settler at the time he wishes to 

 prove up on the land show certain use of the land in grazing, that would 

 prevent it going' in large bodies, and after the farmer had used this for 

 five or ten years he would not want to sell, because he would be the most 

 independent man in the United States. (Applause.) 



MR. HODGES: Before the gentleman leaves the stand, I would like 

 to put him right with reference to the land office rules in Nebraska. I 

 would like to ask him a question and fix this thing right. I have been in 

 the United States Land Office eight years and a half, and anyone in Idaho, 

 or this portion of the country, can take up but 320 acres of land. The 

 pre-emption law, you know, has been repealed. You can take up timber 

 160 and homestead 160, or you can take up 320 acres of desert land, but 

 you can't take any more. 



MR. DEAVER: That is what I am complaining about. (Laughter.) 



MR. HODGES: You are complaining? 



MR. DEAVER: Yes. 



MR. HODGES: Well, I don't hear very well. I thought 3^ou were 

 wrong; that is all. 



MR. DEAVER: My theory is it is purely nonsense to expect a man 

 to go up here and take 160 acres and move on it with his family. That is 

 silly. That is my idea. (Applause.) 



CHAIRMAN DERN: Gentlemen, we have another distinguished 

 gentleman with us here today, Mr. W. M. Jardine, Assistant Cerealist, 

 Office of Grain Investigations, Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S. Department 

 of Agriculture, Washington, D. C, who will address you. I take pleasure 

 in introducing to you Mr. W. M. Jardine. (Applause.) 



