Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1883-05-30
The land Commissioners Report to Secre-
tary Teller on Public Land Frauds in the


WASHINGTON, Special Telegram, March o
The commissioner OF the general land Office
before the close Of congress made very eiab-
crate report to the secretary Of the interior
upon the numerous frauds committed il the
entry of public lands. In this report he called
attention 10 the fact that investigation made
during the past year had developed the exist
ence Of 4ucn fraud under the shield of the
pro-emp'iol, homestead and timber culture
laws He suggested that there ought TO be III
each land district at least one competent and
reliable special agent, and in this Office
sufficient organization to supervise and
direct The work of euch agents, and
lie recommended that an appropriation of
$3.50, 600 be made for this purpose. Con-
grass, however appropriated only $10O,O0O
therefor, of which amount $4,000 is i'm
mediately available, The commissioner says
he will very soon take the proper steps to carry
out the object of this appropriation The COM
missioner IN his report says: efforts have
been made to check the unlawful acts, but the
proceedings have necessarily been confined to
one or two localities, owing to the limited
facilities OF This Office for sucn service"
QUOTED AT LENGTH.
After calling attention to reports of special
illegal entry which now prevail, he says
The rapid absorption Of public lands and other
various acts has brought the remaining lands into
great request, ana the marketable price Of uuim-
proved lands IL many parts of the country much
exceeds the government Price. This fact stimulates
entries for speculative purposes. and the actual
settler is prevented from making settlement unless
he enters into an expensive contest to clear the land
from fraudulent claim purchase at a sDecula-
tive price the rellnquishment of claim of thai
character. My information is that desirable
agricultural lands are in many instances covere"
with claims simultaneously with the 81
ing in the local land office Of
the plats of township surveys. These claims
consist Of presumption filings, soldiers homestead
filings, timber culture and homestead entries Such
filings and entries are frequently made by pro-
fessed agents, who in many cases Immediately
thereafter advertise relinquiShm ent of the same
for sale. The Offering of ACCOMPLISHMENTS in this
wholesale manner is prima facie evidence Of the
fraudulent character of the claims, and yet such
Claims hold the land until the parties con-
trolling them find customers. Settlers
seeking lands cannot usually afford to expend
the means ortime necessary TO the prosecution Of
a contest, and they are therefore compelled to
abandon an attempt to make settlement or 20 buy
their way to their public lands from persons who
unlawfuIly control such lands.
IN THE TERRITORY OF DAKOTA,
which cast 5000 votes a. the last election, the
number Of agricultural entries to the present date
exceeds 800, 600, and sucl entries are now being
made at the rate of more than 30, coo yearly. These
raudS are not confined to Dakota, but extend to
other States and Territories as we'll Under the des
ert land act, entries frequently made upon good
grazing agricultural lands which are leased for
grazing Or other purposes, held fer speculation.
Forged soldiers additional homestead certificates
have been located on arge belt of the most valu-
able timber land in California and the timber cut
and removed In the grazing districts titl5 TO
agricultural lands and water sites is in large classes
of cases, obtained by perjury and fraud, followed
preceded by the unlawful enclosure of tracts of
nu5iie lands. VARYING from ,o, some :. hundreds
also, in some cases. that lands SO fenced in are
parceed out according to the number OF cattle pos
sessed by Individual ra3chmen and the right to
herd upon such public lands leased to them for Il
money consideration. In California, Oregon and
Washington Territory colusive entries made
under the timber land act for the purpose of pro-
curing or controlling the timber in large quantities
Valuable timber lands and lands unfit for anything
but timber, fraudu!eutly entered under the
homestead and pre-enption law. Timber lands
IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA
have been largely entered by false afidayits Of
under these laws, that felt compelled
during the past year 10 place 100000 acres the
market at the minimum price on agricultural land
to avoid such Wholesale cTiminatV In Alabama the
government has been defrauded of some millions
OF collars through the unlawful entry of coal and
iron tnds. food tide OF illegal appropriations
seems TO be sweeping over the new States and Ter
rtories, threatening to enguf the entire public do
main. he time has arrived when IN my serious
Judgment, either complete radical change in the
pubic laws and their administration, or some ade
quate means for enforcing the penalties OF
the existing law has become an alternative
that longer be 6sregarded
There are now before this office claims ia some
progressive stage covering titles to
more than 2OOO00,000 acres Of land, of which
some 1900, 900 acres are embraced in individual
entries unGer he general laws. That very con-
siderable proportion of these claims are without
validity or merit is ndispntapy true yet this office
has been compelled for years past treat doubtful
claims as valid and to pass 10 claimants the
title of the United States, because it could in
vestigste the facts. The same must largely
be continued unless a change n measures snail be
effected.