I don't claim to be an expert but 20 years ago, before there was an internet, I read a book titled "The Great Plains", written by Walter Prescott Webb, a historian, professor, and writer, which was about settling the west. It was published in 1932 but is still considered to be the bible on that subject, and is still in publication because it is used by numerous western colleges as a textbook, required reading.
The book explains why these western lands were not fully disbursed.
The policies, as set by Congress worked very well back to the east, in the wet zone. 360 acres or 180 acres were available for cheap or often for homestead. And a settler could make a good living off of that.
Congress wanted to keep the same policies in the west, even though they were advised that no one could make a living off that in the west.
Some say it was for egalitarian reasons, Congress did not want to be giving large areas of land to benefit a few. Some say that Congress(controlled by the east) didn't want powerful land owners in the west, especially after the railroad grants. Texas disbursed her land differently and many large ranches were established, but the only one that still exists is the King ranch because it was passed down using primogeniture.
Grazing commons led to conflicts so grazing leases were used, and since they have become semi-perpetual, the problem is even worse. After dams, lakes, and irrigation systems were built by the feds, a settler could make a good living off of the smaller acres with the irrigation water, where the water was available.
As some have pointed out, these western land were still available into the 1970s. But, Congress enacted the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 ended homesteading. That act and numerous others define policy today.
Webb's book was great, explaining grazing lands and timber lands, the significance of the invention of the Colt revolver, windmills, and barb wire to fence out the range. His explanations of riparian and prior appropriation water rights were invaluable. But that was 1932 so it didn't say anything about Reserved water rights, which didn't come til later.
If you want to blame someone blame Congress. And of course, Congress today is screwing things up like they did back then
Yep, they've pretty much made an art form out of it.
Thanks for the tip on the book, BTW. I love reading the older ones. They always seem more factual than fictional, donchaknow. :-)