44 BULLETIN 1001, U. S. DEPARTMENT OE AGRICULTURE. 
adjustment among the present users. In fact, what has here been 
called an " economic holding" does not necessarily represent a 
holding of the minimum economical size from the point of view of 
efficiency in the use of the resources of the region. The way should 
always be left open even for the homesteader to enlarge the scope 
of his operations, provided such enlargement is in the interest of 
efficiency. 
Fundamental to the making of any law is the realization that in 
operation the proposed law must start with the present status of 
the business and take that next step hi development which leads 
toward the ultimately desirable. The present adjustment works, 
in a way; the proposed adjustment must work better or there is no 
advantage in changing. It is not possible to clean the slate and 
start the problem over again, but it is possible to make changes in 
rules of procedure which will ultimately change the whole business 
for the better, with less injustice to any one than results from the 
present procedure. 
REQUIREMENTS THAT MUST BE MET. 
Legislation for the improvement of conditions must recognize 
the equities of the present users, which should be considered not only 
from the standpoint of justice to the men who possess them but 
from the more important one of the best utilization of the land. 
Several of the equities have been mentioned, but no summarized list 
of them has been made. They are: Resident ownership of land; 
nonresident ownership of land with or without stock- water; stock- 
water of any kind, such as wells, springs or streams, reservoirs, pipe- 
lines and other improvements; squatter's right to unsurveyed land; 
homestead entryman's right to land entered but not yet patented; 
lessee's right to leased land; mining claims held on assessment work; 
priority rights of citizens as against aliens, and in some measure 
mere priority of use. 
The difficulties to be overcome in the adjustment of claims for all 
such equities have been met in one way or another in the administra- 
tion of the National Forests, and the experience of the administrating 
officials should prove suggestive and helpful. 
The right of governmental withdrawal of land from entry or use, 
in accordance with law, is not to be questioned. 
In the present state of public opinion it is probably wise to continue 
the homestead policy as a method of disposing of lands suitable for crop 
farming. If a reasonable minimum limit of productivity were main- 
tained, the existing homestead laws need not seriously interfere with 
the proper use of the arid grazing lands. It is doubtful if this has been 
done, notwithstanding laudable efforts that have been made in that 
direction. These laws could be given precedence over any others 
designed to control the arid grazing lands. 
