The next year Congress enacted the law of 1872. which threw all mineral lands of the Government open to exploration by citizens of the United States and those who had declared their intention to become such and provided that the discoverer of a lode should have the right to 1.500 feet of the vein discovered and a piece of ground not exceeding 600 by 1.500 feet in dimensions. tog( tier with all other veins. lodes. or ledges apexing within that territory. and conferring upon the States and Territories the poi er to diminish the size of the location not exceeding 50 feet on each side of the center of the vein. That piece of legislation has contributed more to the settlement of the Rocky Mountain West and of the Pacific West than all the other statutes and policies of the General Government affecting that country combined. In the first place. it told the citizen. of the United States to go .ipon the public domain and hunt for treasure. and assured hin. the right to locate and enjoy that treasure should he be successful. and emigration began from all sections of the United States to the great West. It was. Mr. President. a population comprising the best brains and the best blood of the older settle111 ts. and therefore gave us a population alert. intelligent. enter )rising. and patriotic. The vast flood of emigration following the successful miner peopled our cities. spread over our plnins. conquered all of the adverse conditions of nature. added gre It Commonwealths to the Union. and contributed and is contrilutlng enormously to the general wealth and prosperity of the country. This law. Mr.
Identified stereotypes
Immigrants are described as comprising the best brains and blood of older settlements, making them alert, intelligent, enterprising, and patriotic.