Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1884-01-02

Aeuo Ao"o 0utAu6 VIC pEoseuI beehlOu, 2QQ
the question arises how far the present
rights of citizens to acquire government
land ought to bs abridged or amended.
To the northwest, aud to Dakota partlcu.
larly, the question is vital one at this
period of growth and prosperity due to
the immigration of land seekers, and it
is one of general importance a. we'll.
The disposition Of the public domain in.
wolves considerations directly concerning
the public welfare.
The repeal Of the pre.emption law is
recommended by Sectetary Teller on &C.
count of the advantage taken of it in
the fraudulent entry of land for pur.
poses of speculation. The repeal of the
timber culture act Is also recommended
by the secretary for similar reasons. Be-
sides the repeal OF these two acts,
| it is proposed to amend the home-
stead law, with the view of throw
ing greater safeguards around it.,
In its present form the latter law pro.
vides that title may be acquired to q
homestead after six months residence.
on payment of the government price.
The proposed Ingalls bill, which in.
clndes the repeal of the pre-emption and
timber culture acts, would extend the
period Of residence required for q COM
muted homestead entry from six months
to two years, one year Of which must be
OF record in the land Office, irrespective
of prior date of settlement.
Tho Inter Ocean is of the opinion that
the changes contemplated are too sweep.
ing to be just. The repeal of the pre-.
emption law would alone not work any
serious injustice, and would undoubtedly
prevent much fraud that is now prac.
ticed by shsrpers and spectators to the
detriment of honest settlers. The repeal
of the timber-culture act, however, can
not be justified until, after fairer tris
than it has had, it is found to be inefrect
i've and practically imperative.
The cultivation OF timber on the tree
less plains of Dakota should be encour.
aged and aided no lees than the settle.
ment of the land itself. Under the ex.
isting law this has not been done. Tie
law is full Sof faults, which serve as 60
many loopholes for escape from its pro.
visions, and the worst of 1t is that the
evasion of its intent is made the handle
for fraud.
Any person, no matter where his resi-
dence. SO that it be within the United
States, may take a tree claim of l6O acres
As result the great majority of timber
culture entries in Dakota since the boom
set in few years ago have been filed by
non.fesidents. In many, likely most
cases. these entries are made BY persons
who do not otherwise identity their in
terests with those of the territory in
which the land claimed is situated, and
who find it easier at the time to file an
entry for the nominal fees than afterward
and at distance, to cultivate the trees
according to law. A REIMBURSEMENT oi
the entry is the rule in such cases, and
once relinquished through an agent, the
tract is rarely entered again as tree claim
except where euch entry ie preferred for
the purpose of holding it back while
longer for the purpose of speculation.
The faulty Law provides that the land,
on being relinquished as timber claim
may be entered next as homestead OF
pre-emption, and more than that, fails tc
provide that one quarter in every sec
ton shall be entered as tree claim, th,
privilege being only that it may be &c
entered. if taken in time.
As it stands, the timber.culture act il
certainly Objectionable, but not on &C
count OF the alleged impossibility tc
actually cultivate the timber that it CALI
for. AS Las been shown in the Dakots
correspondence of The Inter Ocean pub
llshed during the past two years, ther,
arc many thrifty tree claims to be seer
in southern Minnesota and southeast
ern Dakota which bear witness to the
fact that the ten.acre groves o.
cottonwood. box.elder. ash, elm, ant
black walnut will grow if cultivated
properly. The law might be amended
so as to restrict entries to residents o
the territory or state in which the trac
is situated, and should provide that
tract once entered as tree claim cannot
If relinqnished or forfeited. ever be enter
ed afterwarl under any other law TO
any other purpose. The one.quarte
ll6O acres) iu every section of land shoul,
be reserved for that purpose, aud,
necessary, might be designated on th
plats.
There is now held ont to the land
seeker the prospect of securing 4S
acres of land, of which amount $50 acre
may be taken up at the same time, b
going west to get it. The repeal OF bot
the pre.emption and timber. culture act
would reduce the number OF governmen
acres one person can acquire to Ice
which might tend to cool MANY
mans ardor and to check Immigration
something not at all to the hkin
; OF the town-builders of the Dakota nortt
west and to railroads, whose enterpris
has been in the nature Of liberal inves
ment on their own account. It woul
hardly be wise as o matter of public po
, icv, to abolish more than one of the thre
rights of the American citizen to . sllc
Of the nations farm, at this time, and {
this stage of the development of ii
. newer northwest.
! The timber culture act should renal
Law with certain iudicious amendment
and if it is determined to amend Il
homestead Law, great care should /
taken not to place too many restrictio,