Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1862-05-24
Bring the Lands into Market.

y
En- STANDARB-i -s-. in your paper of
last week an ar,icle in r.laiion TO the sale of
the public lands in this Territory. Allow me
io say ..ih-m's my sentiments" ! cant see
what good reasons can be urged for Withhold
inc the public lands in this Territory from
market any longer that is. that part that has
been surveyed tor two or three years. As
time enoush has been given for all who wish
10 avail themselves of the benefit Of the pre-
cmp,ion law. ,o do 80. and as those who hare
ayail,d Themselves ot its benefit. have had as
long n credit as they could reasonably ask.
le, us have public sale. To have sale
and bring the land into marh". n, this time
would bcnctt the government, and the people
Of the Territory too. Every year our legisla-
turc adopts memorials, the prayer Of which. if
granted would involve expense TO the Govern
mcn,, and just now Uncle's" expenses are so
heavy that he can't do much for u.s. and yet
we only aSk for what sooner or later we must
have. All the land must be surveyed at some
time, and the interest of the settlers demands
that ii be surveyed right away, if not sooner.
The only objection that can be urged is the
cast, and the condition of the Treasury.
Well, as to the cost, just throw tho land into
market and we will buy enough land to pay
the cost of surveying the whole Territory,
carrying the mails, in short to pay all the
expenses of the Territory. 1t really seems to
me that the Government ought to use all the
assets it has at this time, and make every
thing pay for itself that it can, and the only
way to do this in this Territory is to sell the
land. They need not be afraid of spccula-
tors getting the land. for Il great portion Of
the surveyed land is already taken by actual
settlers, and there are a great many who
would buy if the lands were in market with
real intention to make Il home for themselves
and families but who cannot GtoyI to live
on the land as prc-emptors for the reason that
thew want to work ont to ret means to IN
py0re tie lana. Another reason why it would
hc well to bring the land into market is, that
it would hurry up the settlement of the old
donation claims, and give settlers chance to
buy up the fragments that remain. 1t often
happens, after the survey of donation claim
that strip or chunk is left of from five to
twenty-five acres, which will be of no USE to
any one except the man who owns the dona-
ton claim, and ii ho has money to pay tor 1t,
why not let him buy it! lie will buy it
sometime at Sl,2j per acre, and why not now,
and Let government have the money it SO
much needs! heard n man say the other
day, that as long as l,e could have the use of
the money he shouldn't pay for the land lie
held as n prc-cmpton. Now Sir, when that
man was born SOuis were scarce. in fact they
were entirely out of that part of the man
and of course YOU know what. Now "Cnclc."
lust throw the land into market and make the
mean "c,,ss" pay.
v.;l1 t,li ,,ou &c :po;1 thot occ,,rvad
the other day by way of showing how hard it
went with one of my ncighbors just because
the land was rot in market, and then ! have
done. l was in the Registers Office. and my
ncighbor came in and asked Mr.. Fletcher
about his claim. Mr.. Fletcher examined his
papers and found all right My neighbor
then asked about small strip Of land be-
tween his claim and that Of his neighbor. Mr..
Fletcher measured it. on the plat, and told
him there was 90 6O-lOO acres. Il should
like to have it," said he, show can get it?"
"Well' said Mr.. Fletcher, "go build house,
file dcclaratory statement. go to work and
improve tho land, and live in the house you
build at lAast three months, and you can get it
at 81 ,25 per acre provided you prove by two
reputable witnesses that you have done all
this, and that you are acting in good faith.
and don't leave your own land to make the
settlement" "Well. but there is not enough
land to pay for building house," said my
neighbor. and have house already. and
how can l 60 there without leaving my own
land! is there no other way Of getting it! If
I had it, one fence would do for me and my
ncighbor, but now each one must have
fence Of his own. want to pay for it now
and have done with it," well" said Mr..
Fletcher. Il know Of no way Of getting it ex-
crpt you wait until it comes into market. We
cannot do anything but keep to the right as
the law directs" When the Commissioner
thinks i, right and proper. he will order it into
the market; until then. neither you nor any
one else can get it without complying with
the provisions Of the prc-cmption laws Of the
United States" Now. Mr. Editor. l know
Mr.. Fletcher can't do otherwise than conform
to law, and know he works hard aud faith
fully for the interest Of the settlers but this
cas-. is orly one of many similar ones. and rs
the land will be sold somstiwe. ! don't see
why we should not have the chance to buy
up ihe-- odd pieces when We have the money
to paw fpr i, and Government wants the mon-
ey. II YOU know, please tell
4 SQrATTER.