Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1885-01-23

A bin TO repeal the presumption, des-
sert lands and timber culture law, and
to amend the homestead law, passed
the senate last week. The first section
provides for the repeal of the pre-emp-
ton law, this repeal, however, not to
affect the right Of any person which
are ACQUIRING ON the passage of the act.
II further provides that any person who
has not heretofore had the benefit of the
pre-enption law and who has failed
from any cause to perfect title to land
heretofore entered by him under the
homestead laws, may make a second
homestead entry in lieu of the pre-emp-
ton privilege, which is repealed. Sec
ton twOrepeals the timber culture law,
with proviso that it shall not inter-
fere with existing rights. Section three
amends the revised statutes so that
persons who have availed themselves of
the homestead laws may pay the mini
mum price of the lands after eighteen
months from the date Of entry provided
they file preliminary notice six months
before. Section four repeats the desert
land act, except rs to claims which ex-
list at the date of the passage of the act.
Section FIVE provides that no public
land, except abandoned military or 9TH
er reservations, mineral lands and 9TH
er lands the sale of which has been au-
thOriZed by a special act of congress,
shall be sold at public auction or by
special private entry; all offered public
lands are withdrawn from the market
and shall be disposed of as unoffered
public lands. Senator Dolph in a re-
port accompanying the bill saws:
Under the present law any person can
acquire title to 100 acres under each the
presumption, homestead and timber cul-
ture act, or $50 acres in all. The COM
mittee is of the opinion the time has
come to limit the requirement of gov
erDment land by one person to 160 acres.
Another reason for the repeal Of the
presumption law is the alarming increase
Of fraudulent claims under it lately.
The report says it has been charged that
this faud was in the execution Of the
law but the committee is of the opinion
the law contains such inherent defects
that fraudulent entries cannot be wholly
prevented. The increase Of fraudulent
entries, in its opinion, is due to the in
creased value of land and consequent
greater inducements offered for evasion
of the law. The repeal of the timber cul-
ture law Is recommended because it has
proved failure. The report continues:
Experience has demonstrated that the
desert land act instead Of securing set
Element and reclamation of desert
lands by actual settlers has been made
the means of securing fraudulent title
to agricultural lands, There is rapid
ly growing sentiment in this country
for the repeal of all laws providing for
the disposal of agricultural lands ex-
cept by the homestead law, and that
the public domain shall hereafter be re-
served for settlers. The committee is of
the opinion that this should be the fu-
ture policy of the government, even If
settlers are restricted to 100 acres of
land. 1t will be but a comparatively
few years before all the public lands
suitable for homes will be exhausted.
In conclusion the report says: The
practical exhaustion OF our public do
main will force upon the attention of
the people of this country new impor-
tant and difficult questions, and in the
opinion Of the committee the time has
come when our rapidly increasing pop
ulation, instead OF being able to take
up homesteads or public lands and make
home for themselves will be compeIl-
ed to find homes in our over crowded
cities and this should by wise legislation
be postponed as long as possible.