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


tons in the field or Of ab.udouino Or
suspending further action upon invest
CATIONS that bad already been had. and
40 2 ressslt Of which bearings h4d been
ordered IA several hundred cases. IA
was found impossible 10 carry On both.
- the expense Of each sirriy woald
exhaust the appropriation. Hsarincs
could not be had without the presencs
of special agents, uhs are material wiz
nesses. and the payment Of their ex-
psnsse would leave no means q defrav
other costs.
II WIS thersfore determined. an the
only available course, 10 continue In fhe
nsld such number Of special agents a
tbs appropriation rermStss and ID sas-
pend hii hearings ordered on THAR re-
ports. The result il that final action
cannot be taken for The cancellation of
entries examined and reported fraudu-
lent until Congress shall make provision
for the expenses OF formal hearings. or
obviats the necessity Of them bv clearly
investing the executive department
wIsh power 70 suEnmarily cancel en-
tries found fraudulsnt upon special
examination.
For similar reason Of the made
quaoy u the appropriation TO the needs
Of the service have heen compelled 10
remove general suspensions Of entries
10 localities In which fraudulent appro-
priations have been reported as preva-
lent, and 10 permit entries 70 90 to patent
without the investigation necessary 10
determine the bona fide or fraudulent
character of any of them.
It 10 obvious thst some decisive ae-
ton by Congress u called for by every
oonsideratloa Of public policy and ad-
ministrative expediency.
.If II 10 the legislative purp3se TO
adhere TO the policy Of preserving the
remaining public lands for actual set
tiers, aud to prevent the acquisition Of
great bodies Of land in fraud of Law by
single individuals aud corporations,
American or foreign. sufficient means
should be placed at the disposai of the
Land Department 10 prevent the vast
aud widespread violations Of law which
have been brought to the knowledge
of this Department and the potics Of
Congress.
/ have discharged my own duty in
presenting this subject, as have from
time to time In my annual reports and
IN special reports submitted to Congress,
~ clearly and forcibly rs could, and
leave 10 the higher power of that body
the responsibility OF determining the
course to be pursued.
Ii appears from the foregoing that If
the pre- empf1on aud timber culture laws
are not repealed more liberal appropria-
tions should be made for the detectioa
and punishment of fraud on the Gov
srnment through the agency of said
laws. But even with liberal appropria
tiona for the detection Of frauds of she
character before mentioned, IL will be
impo8sibie 70 prevent unscrupulous per-
sons in the thiuiy settled regions of
soantry from appropriating public land
by mere technical compliance with
the laws, while the spirit thereof 10 vio-
lated. There 10 but one remedy, and
that is In the rereal sf the law no longer
necessary 10 enable the setnal settler 90
secure title to the land he occupies on
the public domain. Tbs public lands
ought to be reserved for actual settlers,
and should be conveyed only when the
settler has shown his eo3d faith by
residence ON the ltnd for the period
provided for by the homestead Law. No
Communication Of homesteads tboaid be
allowed.
In connection with this snbisot call
especial attention 10 the Con mis sioner's
report on the disposal Of public lands.
He says:
The surveyed public lsnds of the
United states have largely been dis
posed Of, or appropriated by various
claims under general Lave, or pledged
for the satisfaction Of educational. in
ternsl improvement, or other public
grants. The total area surveyed from
the commencement IL YjS,yi0.l l2o acres.
The estimated area unsurv wed, exclu-
siye OF the Territory Of Alaka. 10 bO6,'
495, asa acres. This estimate is Of very
general nature, aud afsrds no index 10
the disposable volume of land remain
ing, nor to the amount available for
agricultural purposes. it includes In
dian and other puslio reservations, an
surveyed private land claims, the six
teenth and thirty sixth sections re-
served for common schools, unsureeyed
lands embraced IN railroud, swamp
land and other grants, and the great
mountain areas and areas Of uusurveyed
rivers and lakes. Deducting these, and
areas wholly unproducsive and unavail-
able for ordinary purposes, aud the
volume OF remaining land shrinks to
comparatively small proportions. The
time is near at hand when there Will DO
no public laud 10 invite settlers or afford
citizens Of the ceu0try an opportunity
TO secure cheap homes. !.
In the early history of the country,
when the broad expanse OF the public
domain was unsettled, a liberal system
OF laws was adopted providing for an
easy acquisition of individual titles, ana
even down 10 later periods the object
apparently sought TO be sccomplished
IN the purpose of the laws and toe pol
icy Of their administration was for the
united States TO hasten the disposal OF
its lands. With this purpose IN vies
aud abundant areas everywhere open 70
settlement, no special safeguard against
appropriations IN fraud OF law appears
to have been thought OF or deemed ne
cessary. On the contrary, the prevail
ing tendency Of legislation has oeen to
remove restrictions rather than 10 ini
pose them, and acts have been passed
primarily for the relief or benent OF
actual settlers which have been avaiied
of TO the defeat OF settlements By the
facility afforded fer the aggregation OF
land titles in speculative or monopolis-
Ito possession.
The numerous methods OF disposal
now existing. and the laxsty OF precsn.
,ionary provision against misappropria-
lions, are resulting in waste OF the
public domain without the compensa-
tons attendant upon small oxnersnips
for actual settlement and oceapauon-
Ii Ia nay opinion that the time has
fully arrived when wastefulness IN the
disposal Of public lands shaii cease and
the portion still remaining snoniu oe
tiers only. An act reserving the public
lands, except mineral lands and timber
reserves, for entry exclusively under the
homestead laws. aud amending the
homestead laws 50 as to prevent tne
present easy evasion OF wise restrictions
and essential requirements, would be
measure meeting this end, and answer
ine pronounced public demand.
ARRESTED FoR GkMnLrso. - James