Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-11-30

FofIoxing - sn eAtkaot ilofh st-S tots ~
...sos rerort Of the Secretary Of the
1900 vita regard 10 the operations
: ~ General Land Office. The dis
..Iaa Of she pre-e,spsion Law and
..-...t;cus in connection with the pro
- repeal thereof are very interest
g. Tho Secretary Gays;
1h. report Of the Commissioners Of
... General Land Office shows that
- entries and selections Of public
:.s<s under various acts Of Congress
'''sr-acs 3g,e34 ,O4l % acres, and Of In
~. lands 6g7, 1887, aRRreeatinQ n,
" "a. An increase over the year 1858
~ if,I f31 20. The recsipts for disposal
z srnb!,c lands are 81. $40, ,933.07; In
- Is1,ds, $685., 1916, or a total OF
80 IA 1y0.33. an increase over that Of
3ssz n n. .073 .se4.6s, 10 which Ii 10 be
..<xsS fiO.g7g rs received for certified
epirs of records, making . total Of
~ ia 1865. The Commissioner TO
ss1ls she total number OF entries, 6c.,
4 s. Is follows:
IA total number Of entries and FL
;.es made during the year Is 206s s632,
seerec etine 40, 81, ,0C9 acres; an increase
q 20 724 over the year 1853 and I2S, ,5bS
cgrr i66z.
Ths total number of entries and fl
- rosfed during the year is 327. 1856.
7srus entries and filings constitute
>isims Of record awaiting completion
"a sdiudioation. The increase IN
S .smber of claims posted In 1884 is 70 Sol
essr tbs year 1853 aud l3f sc49 sver the
1saf 1882.
PRE- EMrTIOSs.
Tuensy-one thousand two hundred
snd eighty six presumption entries were
roads during the year, embracing an
sres Of 3,2CS. .095.66 acres; 1i.0l2 ex-
usrSe eases were approved for patent.
IA 325 contested cases wsre decided,
10 patsnt and decided casts involving
I.516 900 acres.
qhs number Of cases undecided June
d, 1s84, was 1871, an increase Of the
unnber In arrears of 1854 contested and
sx-porte oases. Inc number Of pre-
smi,lion iIines made curing the year was
a5<1, which, at lG0 acres each, would
uoger 6,252, $50 acres.
RRpEAL OF THE PRE-E4grIoN Law.
The Commissioner again recommends
ihs sepeai Of the pre- caption Law. he
ny,' -. ,,..,.;.,.,. ...,,,,,,,,,.,,a..,,,,,.
for the repeal of the presumption law.
10 my last annual report ! pointed out
the absence of any great utility Of the
pse-emption system for legitimate ap-
propriation OF the publio lands by actual
Sstiiess, "a the homestead system con
isins a sufficient pre- emptlon feature
and q double system Is not required.
Eoonomy Of administration alone sug-
fesis such repeal, while the great abuses
lowing from the illegal acquisition OF
lsnd titles by fictitious pre- einption en-
tries, and the exactions made upon bona
Dds settlers, who are often Obliged to
buY Oft such claims ia order to get
access TO public lands, render the appeal,
IL my Judgment. a matter of public
nsofssity.
= Presumption claims are filed when
20 intention Of perfeeting entries exists,
bat the alleged claim IL held for specu-
lation, or ~ cover for denuainQ land
Of It's timber. The average proportion
Of entries TO hliEgs Ii less than one
half.
I'm cases of entries actually made. ii
is found that the most valuable timber
lands and large areas of agricultural
and grazing lands are entered IA hoti-
tious names or by persons employed for
the purpose, and the lands thus pass
into speculative holdings, Or holdings IN
large quantities for permanent control.
Coal lands, the Government price OF
which is $40 and SO per acre. are ilIe-
gaily obtained IN the sane manner at
the minimum price of non mineral
lands. Ihe Government loses the diff.
ference In price. while loss 60 the
general public lies in the increased price
II the coal product ia consequences OF
the control OF coal fields. which In this
way is acquired and held with COM
paratively small outlay of capital. The
result is equally true AS 10 timber lands.
Experience has demonstrated that an
effective remedy for these evils can only
BE- found in the repeal of the laws under
which they arise."
The difficulty of protecting the public
lands from fraudulent entries under tho
pre-emption law can be readily under
stood by the statement Of the Commis-
sioner concerning the work OF the special
agents, 25 IN number, appointed for the
Protection Of the public land from
fraudulent entries and illegal appxopfi-
alton. The Commissioner says:
Thirty-fiye hundred and thirty-one
alleged fraudulent entries OF public
ianus, embracing an area of 100000
acres, have cen investigated and re-
ported, principally Ia California, Colo.
rado. Dakota, Minnesota and New
Mexico, and a lesser number in all
other public land States aud Territories;
gu entries have been cancelled on
nnAl proceedings, TS2 held for cancella-
ton, and hearings have been ordered IN
~ cases. About b000 entries have
aeen suspended, awaiting investigation.
In a special report submitted May 10,
iesi, IN reply To resolution of tue SEN
ste, stated as follows:
Beyond GASES specifically examined,
! have no doubt that muck has been
uone m the way of prevention within
Ine sphere Of these operations. But the
territory 10 be covered is 50 vast, and the
pfoportion Of fraudulent entries found
V exist 10 so large, that II Il be the
Intention Of Congress that the remain,
me public lands shsll be protected from
matscfiminate absorption through lille
~ and fraudulent appropriation, more
Aaeqnate legislative measures will need
% he adopted,
The repeal Of the pre-empsion and
hmoer culture laws, which have here
hiore recommended, Is one ct the tirsl
Neniial steps in this direction. lt !:
nos possible, by any administrative ac
Aee. 10 close the doors opened TO abuses
saier these laws.
luis may equally be said in refer
saos 70 the timber land and desert isnt
a3s ard the Communication features ol
ns homestead laws, and also Of th'
provision allowing the fling OF soldiers
ss1u.stead declarations by attorney
aasn latter provision Is used 10 de-
rent,
all laws for the disposal of public
as except the homestead Law, wers
seiea, and the latter amended ~
ctofore suggested, the great bulk o
seprspriaiions would disappear fron
ialafe entries.
IA an examination of pending entrie'
seo and believed TO be frauduien
a.1 require q special agent TO be con
llsay on duty IN each Of the principe
~ districts. and in some districts on
~ agent would be unable TO cope viii
work before him,
a. ~ the system OF examination II
sssta 1sta ,s 10 be effective, provision
1no A.. a. "a -