The Dickinson press., 1884-02-16
Entered at the postoiice al Dickinson, Star
County, Dakota, rs second class matter.
Saturday, February is, 1884.
Homestead Wisdom.

Homestead Wisdom.
Delegate Raymond. from this ter
ritory seems to understand what the
homesteader wants better than any
legislator that we have noticed. He
makes ''lnorse sense" the test of his
theory of a statutes requirements.
and has therefore, introduced II bill in
congress, now pending before the
committee on territories. to amend
the old time homestead act. that has
been amended many a time hut never
with a view of helping the honest,
actual settler out. lie proposes to
give a homesteadcr time Il Year, to
get upon his land and time to get
things in shape 80 that he can live.
AS it stands now the settler has to
make his stalt within six months and
wait six months longer before he can
plant or harvest a crop. lie must
prematurely establish his residence
for fear of both law and man. If he
leaves down the bars. along conc 9
hungry Spectator or industrious at
torney, who scares him to death by
lnstituting a contest that may or may
not be sustained and runs up the
costs at a killing rate. intlicting in
posed by Mr.. Raymond goes farther
and gives the poor homesteader a
chance in winter. 1t permits an alb
sence from his claim during the
months of Dec. Jan. Feb. and March.
In a new country what's the gain to
man Or beast if a settler is compelled
to suck his thumbs all winter A
continuous residence at a til2e when
he can produce nothing is bitter
gratitude upon the part of Uncle Sam.
If he can earn anything by visiting Il
neigAboring town OF county. let him
go. Give him a show. We know
plenty of men who would gladly
avail themselves Of this sensible pro-
vision, if it WAS the written law. We
congratulate Mr.. Raymond upon his
success in getting at the core OF the
homesteader' eessities. With
these two provisions lie can make
pioneer prairie lite both endurablc
and profitable.
WE have interviewed no less than
fifteen persons in relation to the new
freight line from here to the Black
Hills, all of them men who are we'll
acquainted with the country. Every
IL expressed the opinion that the
road from here to the Hills was the
shortest and best of any they hal
ever Travelled over. The talk of a
road from Little Missouri amounts to
nothing as freighters could never be
induced to haul Il second load of
goods through thirty miles of Bad
Lands, which are what their name
indicates, nothing but deep ravines
and the toughest kind Of hills and
buttes through which it would be
almost impossible to make Il road.
THE new postal law-and a most
righteous one it is-now makes the
taking Of a newspaper and the refus
al to pay for the same, theft. and any
person guilty Of such an action is liza
ble to criminal proceedings, the same
as if he had stolen goods to the
amount of subscription. Those o.
our slow-paying subscribers, who paA
no attention to our appeals for the
amounts due us, will do well to max,
note of this. We have only a few
of such, and we direct their atten
ton to this new law.
Vol. l No. l of the Dakota Out
look, published at Yankton, has bee
received. 1t contains sixteen page
and is printed on tinted paper ane
gotten up in good style. 1t will b
devoted to the interests of Dakot
and contain valuable information 70
intending settlers, and is publishe
s~eml-monthly at sl.25 per year.
The first number of the Minnesel;
Boomer, a neat six column folio. ha
reached our table. 1t is published a
the county seat of Butte county al
as its name indicates, is a boone
for the section it represents.
Persons sometimes get answer
they don't expect. even from child
rem. One Of them was questioning
Sunday school class about the ma
who fell among thieves on the wa
from Jerusalem to Jericho. Bringin
the story to q point, he asked: "Nov
why did the priest and Levite pass o
the other side!'' A scholar held o.
his hand. "Well, my boy, why d;
the priest and Levite pass by Oh II
other sidel" 81 know" said the la