The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1882-10-14
Report Of the Commissioners Of the
General Land Office.

Report Of the Commissioners of the
General Land Office.
Judge Mcfarland, commissioner of the
general land office, has completed his annual
report. in addition to some statistical in
formation, the following subjects are treated
by the commissioner.
dred and six and sixty-six onehundredths acres OF
land were certified for railroad purposes during the
last fiscal year. The list Of selections awaiting
animation or action on June 80, 1882. embraced
1858 1902. 70 acres, and COS. rs miles OF road was
reported as constructed under the land grant sys-
tenn during the year, making total of 1920
miles of land grant railroad constructed in all the
States aud Territories up to the close of the fiscal
year. 1t is my opinion that general law should be
enacted clearly defining the rights Of citizens to
take timber from the public lands for prescribed
p pniapwfuy cutting, removal, DESTRUCTION or
waste In all cases where survey and
scalement Is necessary to accurately ascertain the
extent of an alleged trespass. l would respectfully
recommend that the expense thereof should be
authorized to be charged to the party committing
the trespsss as part Of the costs III the case In
oped the existence Of much fraud under the shield
of the presumption, homestead and timber culture
laws Efforts have been made to check unlawful
acts of this character in the coal and iron
regions of Alabama, the timber regions of Mime.
sofa, the grazing country in California, and on
agricultural lands in the Territory of Dakoa,by the
special investigation of of alleged fraud, trials
before the coal land officers to cancel illegal entries
and the institution Of civil and criminal suits.
These proceedings have however. necessarily been
confined to one or two localities in each OF the said
States and Territories. owing to the limited facii
ties of this office for such service. have recon-
msnded herein the repeal of the pre-emption law,
the same having been practically superseded by the
homestead law, and especially by the continuation
feature of the latter act 1t is matter Of serious
question whether the time within which homestead
parties are allowed to commute their entries by
payment OF cash should not be extended so as re-
quire proof of actual residence, Improvement and
cultivation for at least one year before such pay
ment should be received. This extension OF time
would be be no longer than reasonably necessary
TO establish the good faith of the parties and would
be hardship to bona fide settlers while the OPP
porunties for fraudulent entry would diminish in
proportion to the length of residence, improve
ment and utivation are required to be shown.
The period has but just commenced when the ear
lier entries made under the timber culture act can
be proven up. The
FRAUDULENT PROCEEDINGS
at the present time under the operations OF this act
not, therefore, that legal title has actually been
Obtained by unlawful methods but that tict tious
tries are initiated for the purpose of holding the land
of market and selling to others relinquishm mt
of the right of occupation so acquired. 1t is alleged
by numerous correspondents and in the reports OF
officers and agents of this department that opera
tons of this character are carried on to
very great extent, notably at the pres
as rule, in proportion public surveys progress
over territory subject 10 such entry the lands are
covered with fictitious claims. and actual settlers
compelled TO pay to SPECTATORS OF persons hold
ing the claims bonus for the privilege of entering
the land in legal and proper manner under the
public land law. The utility of the timber
culture law as an inducement to the cuti-
walton Of trees that would not otherwise
been planted has sometime been questioned, since
settlers under the homestead laws in treeless re-
gions find it of the necessities of the situation
set and cultivate trees, and their interest to
do this is usual guaranty that it will be done. At
mend the repeal of law of so benef-
cent an intention as the timber culture
act: but deem it incumbent upon
me to refer to the abuses to which it is subject.
Unlawful occupation Of the public lands. The il
legal enclosure of the public lands in certain States
and Territories and the exclusive occupation of
large tracts by private parties to the deprivation
of the rights of others and the impeachment
of settlement and intercourse, have become mat
ter of serious complaint. 1t is manifest that some
decisive action is necessary on the part of
the federal government for the maintenance of the
supremacy of the laws and to preserve the integrity
he vast plain and mountain ridge west of the Mis-
sssippi must be relied upon for an important pro-
portion Of the sheep and cattle husbandry required
by the necessity of national consumption, but it
does not follow that this industry should
be the subject of undivided or corporate monopoly
any more than that of other agricultural pursuits
should be so controlled. The unimpeded course of
50 Element will, in due time bring the whole of tie
United States within the compass of private owner
ship respectfully call the attention of congress
to the necessity Of legislation on this subject