INTRODUCTORY. 



The following report and papers are designed as a basis for an intel 

 ligent conception of the possibilities and requirements of legislative 

 action on the part of the General Government in regard to some of its 

 property. They will also, it is hoped, be welcome to the student of the 

 climatic, floral, and economic conditions of the region to which they 

 refer, and serve as a historic reference book in the times when the folly 

 of present days will be judged by those who will suffer its consequences. 



The pioneering days are rapidly disappearing before the energetic 

 push and advancement of railroad building and settlements j and with 

 the changed conditions of life, in communities instead of in isolated log 

 huts, a change in the manner of life and its adjustment to the demands 

 of civilized existence is called for. 



The development of the Eocky Mountain region during the last 

 seventeen years is indicated by the growth of its population. The pop- 

 ulation has increased from 263,236 in 1870 to 900,000 in 1886, while 

 the assessed valuation, exclusive of mining property, has risen from 

 $96,507,000 in 1870 to $330,000,000 in 1886. This growth has been ob- 

 tained, no doubt, partly through the liberal policy which the Govern- 

 ment has pursued in regard to railroad grants, to mineral claims, to 

 land entries, etc. 



Of the enormous amount of public lands given free or at nominal 

 prices to settlers, miners, and to encourage development, amounting to 

 about 630,000,000 acres, a proportionate share has fallen to the region 

 in question. For educational purposes it received 22,963,403 acres or 

 34 per cent, of the total grant. Of the 50,000,000 acres or so of railroad 

 grants, outside of the rights of way, 4,500,000 acres at least must be 

 debited to the region for its 2,060 miles of land- grant roads. Under the 

 desert-land act 1,193,548 acres were given up at $1 per acre. Under 

 the timber-culture act, 389,991 acres have been entered in the region 

 under consideration. 



In addition to these grants a liberal use of the timber on the public 

 domain, for all legitimate purposes which would aid the settler in build- 

 ing up and improving his settlement and the railroad companies iu 

 building their roads, has been permitted. 



But whether the continuance of such lavish liberality after the pioneer 

 existence is passed has not already been, and may not become still more 

 in future, detrimental to the best interests of the region in question, as 



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