Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1883-02-28
THE PERCEPTION Law.
Its Proposed Repeal Creates Excitement
at the Capital.

Its Proposed Repeal Creates Excitement
at the Capital.
Special to the Chicago Inter-Ocean.
Washington, Feb. 24.-The provision
in the sundry civil appropriation bill re.
pealing the pre.emption laws and amend.
ing the homestead laws is attracting q
good deal Of attention in both the SEN
ate and house. The proposition does
not seem to meet with favor from set.
tiers, would.be settlers, or purchasers of
public lands, and protests against its
adoption by the senate are beginning to
come in from the northwest and else.
where. Senator Conger, of Michigan,
received telegram this morning from q
committee appointed by mass meeting
held at Grand Forks, Dakota, last
night, strongly protesting against the
passage of the proposed legislation on
this subject. Senator Conger also re-
ceived o personal dispatch from Mr..
Stone, sent about the same time. telling
him that the above telegram had been
sent protesting against the repeal of the
presumption act, especially against the
change in the homestead law Subject
ing. the poor man to live two and half
years before he can acquire title" aThe
later clause" Mr.. Stone telegraphs. is
ruinous to north Dakota and the whole
Red River valley. Ihope you can defeat
the latter clause" Mr.. Conger said he
had not until last night read the pro.
vision in the sundry civil bill proposing
the repeal of the pre.emption law and
amendment of the homestead law, and
had not discussed it with senator's, but
be doubted very much if it passed the
senate. He thought it was unjust to
tho poor settler and really in the in
terest of the wealthy classes who have
been buying these lands under the pre-
emption laws. Upon the repeal the
poor man would almost entirely be ex.
cluded from the public lands in the
northwest, while the wealthy speoulstor
would be able to secure the lands of the
poor man, who would be forced to sell
after he had acquired title by reason oi
the extention of the time to two and
one-balf years during which be is re-
quired to reside on the land. Very few
poor men could comply with the law.
He thought the bill had been rushed
through the house committee on public
lands and the house without proper con.
sideration.
Senator Mcmillan, on the other hand.
is inclined to think some provision of
the kind is proper in order to break up
abuses under the pre-emption law. He
had not, however, given the clause criti-
cal examination, and was not decided
whether he would favor its exact terms
or not.
Delegate Pcttigrew opposed the pro.
vision before the house committee on
appropriations, where it was stricken
out Of the bill but was afterwards in
serted in the house. MIR. Pettlgrew has
also been receiving protests against tho
repeal and amendment to the same
effect as that from the Grand Forks
mass meeting. Mr.. Pettigrew favors an
amendment making tho extension one
yearta and half instead of two and q half
years. He thus explains the operation
Of the present law aud the effect of the
proposed amendment and repeal. Six
months are endowed the settler making
entry before he is required to begin.
actual residence and cultivation. al.
most every settler avails himself of this
privilege. These men after making their
filings 70 back for their families and
their property. and it is six months gen.
orally before they return to make settle.
ment and begin their residence. Bat
under the amendment of the COMMITTEES
the settler must remain two and bali
years upon the land before acquiring any
title whatever, and, il within that time ht
should be compelled for any cause tt
leave, he forfeits everything. 1t seemi