The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1885-11-26
Withheld Land Paten
AN IMMENSE NUMBER

There have accumulated in the office OF
the recorder for the general land office forty
thousand patents to entries in what is
known as the infected districts embraced
in Commissioner Sparks famous order OF
April 3. The work ofissuing patents has how
ever except for few weeks been going on Il 5
usual. Maj. Clark the recorder, says the
office has sent out between 4 900 and 900
IL month right along, and this month, at
the present rate, will issue 5000. Patents
have been issued regularly to claimants in
the infected districts who do not make en-
tries under the pre-emption, homestead
or timber claim laws where an oath is re-
qured. Commissioner Sparks said in re-
gard to the order:
| am in hopes that we may soon be able
to rescind it. The necessity for it was such
that nothing else would meet the purpose.
| took the advice OF all the old officials in
this office. and they considered the matter
in all it's lights and phases. Their only
and unanimous conclusion was that the or
der should be issued. The problem was how
to sift the fraudulent from the genuine
claims. we hesitated at the idea of
inficting any harm or Inconvenience upon
the bona fide settlers, but there was large
number offraudulent claims. Ifyou should
look over the reports OF our special agents
in the field, you would find, as have stat
ed in my annual report, that from rs to
90 per cent. OF all the claims OF this class
where an oath can swear them through are
fraudulent. | have letters from Dakota
and elsewhere daily that confirm this
To-day | had one from a prominent Dako-
ta gentleman fully substantiating the fact.
Now, l am not going to certify to the pres
ident that patents should be issued when
am not sure they should be. [ shall not
certify, in other words, to a lie. We hope
to be ablo to have means OF telling whether
entries are bona fide or not.
Several plans have been considered for
the proper inspection of claims, but it is un-
derstood that the one that commends itself
best is to have an official designated to each
local. land office who with his deputies will be
able to visit claims and report on the
amount OF improvements and the evidence
of bona fide settlement. This official
would serve as / check on the local land
officers and enable the general land Office,
to whom he would be directly responsible
to know whether patents should be certi-
fed or not. The cost OF such IL set of Off
cials would be slight compared with the
saving to settlers of land that would 9TH
erwise fall into the hands of spectators
and cattlemen. The recorders force OF
clerks has briefed up an abstract OF most
OF the 40, 600 suspended entries now wait
are being sent out to special agents. A
large number OF cases have been
looked up and patents will doubtless
be issued to honest settlers in a
considerable portion OF the infected districts
before long. Commissioner Sparks action
is not entirely personal. 1t has the endorse
ment OF Secretary Lamar and the president
and they both Claim their share OF respon-
sibiity for it. The reports from the special
agents and local land officers do not ind-
cate any great amount of suffering
among settlers. Maj. Clark says that he
has 800, 900 patents that have never been
called for. Settlers have usually been able
to borrow money on their claims without
their patents, but cannot secure as large
loans on second mortgage without them.
This is the commissioner side OF the mat
ter. There Will be q lively time in congress
next winter in regard to the policy Of with
holding patents,