Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1885-12-19
4 r n SHARKS.
What q Dakota Claim Holder
Knows About It.

Knows About It.
"Fronteuman'' in Chicago Inter Ocean.
l was glad to see your Comments OH
the action VI Commissioner Sparks i'll
his outrageous rulings in land cases. l
have TO doubt whatever Of Mr.. Sparks
honest intention or the purity Of his mo-
tives. Hundreds of other people are In
boring under thesame misrepresentation,
the outgrowth of the political hue and
cry Of "Robbing the Government Do.
MAN," But it must be remembered and
known that in every case the govern
ment has got its cash, and all else it de.
manded, and with 80 per cent Of the
claimants it took the last dollar, borrow
ed money at that, and in nearly every
case the claimants have complied with
the law aud rulings as followed and in
terpreted for the last twenty years. The
government, through its officers, pre-
scribed the conditions and its price. The
conditions have been complied with ald
the money asked paid. There was nc
mystery Or misunderstanding about it
The government for over twenty years
offered a home bv residence and 800 tc
every poor man in the land. "Oh, how
generous, but at the same time it offer
ed a premium of all the settlers possess
ions to all+the tramps and skunks in hu
man form if they would Jump his claim
and make him put up to a claim attor.
ney, fight, or pay blackmail.
Every town, regardless Of size. has
from two to twenty land shark attorneys
who are brewing contest cases, and "
many claim jumpers, and any one Of
them just under the hide is a natural
born hog or q constitutional thief, and
80 thick are these, the meanest Of Gods
animals, that there is not a town west o.
the Missouri, 9, in Dakots, that has no,
furnished from ten 10 q hundred contes,
cases. Witnesses to facts BY the hun.
dreds, and testimony iby the CARLOAD
have gone to Washington. And 70,
years these trials have gone on, and or
the strength Of these, with Il fell knowl
edge of these facts, the government ha.
decided that just such a house was hah
liable and that just such a time was suf
6ciant to constitute a residence and JUS
sach a small quantity Of blowing ano
planting wa cultivation. These decis
ions have been rendered in 10000 cases
and no poor man can afford to tax,
them on any other.
Let Commissioner Sparks or any o
his white-shirted erks go out and ell
dure frontier life and escape the perse
| cutions Of the shark attorneys and Jump
ers. and they will think themselves cn
titled to their land without any annoy
ance from high officials they can'treach
and not to be blamed if they 90 back t,
their old home a while to take a rest.
Unless Il mar can eat grass and far
himself warm with u Dakota blizzard. h
can't makes living the first year on an.
new land. Better fish in II wash tub o
depend on jack rabbits for milk than t
look for Il healthy subsistence the frs
year farming on new breaking.
| know sometimes some things vii
grow when they feel like i, (tur,ips 70
n,stance.) hut I have been all through
the mill, and NV frieAds are still at il
aud under old rulings it WAS the poo
mans hest chance; hut if the Unte'
States, through its highest officials,
going int" the petty business Of repudis
ling $40 contracts and keeping tn
money because its custome 3 are to
poor m fight, then government land i
only for the rich and railroad corpora
tions.
Whatever value there ls in these land
1t is wholly due to the settlers presenc
alone. TO any m mar it is ~valueless
II one has the money he had better blu,
Of Spectators at the present prices, wit
Il legal title without fool restraints, tina
to take the best government land with
host of spies ut his heels and with Il pc.
session ~ thin as the frost on his windo,
glass, that III be wiped out by an
crank that may get into the land Office