New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-05
CoMsuss roylR sPARKs's REPORT.

DISCUSSING FRAUDULENT LAND CLAIus-cuANGFs
~ rHE HOMESTEAD AND pEE-EMPrIoN LAWS.
WASHINGTON. Dec 4.-AccOrding 10 the an
uuA. report Of Land Commissioner sparks 1t appears
that during last fiscal year the slos entries and
selections OK public land under various acts Of Congress
relating thereto embrace 2OlI3,GG)37 acres, and OF
Indian lands ssI.-5o.2l acres, making a total OF
2Oggl jl3 - acres bcng decrease, compared with
the year l5.i OF $3.50 6j6l acres, and an increase
over the year 1888 of $50 tS)75 acres Tho receipts
from the dsposals OF public lands S7656ili 80 ;
from sales OK Ind IN Lands, SJ3},lsj . total OF
- 6l950s -. being deere compared with tile
year 1881. Of Sil5D.j32 81. and with 1888 OF
s3.O-GlGT 80, TO which Is to be added S',S2l 50 FOR
certified copies Of records furnished by the General Land
Oncr making the total receipts !or the year from all
sourc,s 5SG25 40 g. Mr. sparks deyOes considerable
space to "A discussion OF Spanish ami NJ 'xican
private land claims. including tao Maxwell grant.
but gives Information. Nearly twonty pages OF
his report given mp 10 tho subject Of fraudulent land
eHtrcA M SPARKS makes N clear that H. has not him
sefdi,coycroi any frauds by giving up tho greater
part OF ais twenty pages TO quotations from reports
written by inspectors previou, to tho advent VI tho
Democratic Administration.
After mcntionng several Of his objections TO tho pre-
cmptlon law Mr. Sparks says
Tho presumption system no longer secures settle
mcu,s by pIctmptors II 10 did, could DE amonded to
do So t would useless any goOt purpose. because
suppIntcd by the more effective homestead law, II a
home - the real object dc'igue To be secured II home
Is not the object, the the facility Tor obtaining
without king home upon II, which Is offered BY
this -ystcu removed from the statutes the better for
the settlement interests OF the country AMI the future Of
its institutions. The presumption system serves tho
speculative Interest the timber Interest, the cattle III
the coll-muing ntcrcst, and tho watcroOntrOl
ing interest all tho cost to tho exclusion or actual
settlers according the purpose or Its use IS spccuia
ton or monopoly.
Mr. sparks recommends that " the homestead law DO
50 amended provide that tho public lands Of the
United States other than mineral and reserved timber
lands shall be disposed Of only under ia provisions, aud
that these gth-ncd 10 secure actual nhabauoy,
improN ecut and cultivation, precedent conditions to
acquisition at any rights Hereunder and absolutely
prohibiting and rendering uugatOry for any purpose
whatever sale transfer or the homestead priyi
lcge any title derived 10 be derived Hereunder
pior to of patent The law should provide TOR
substantial and merely prO lorna proofs aud appli
cations aud proofs should NOT be permitted 10 be mado
bel Jre any other officer than tho land officers OF the
United states" lie IS opposed to the payment for pub
lie services by fees being anticipated, cum
brous and uuecOnomca" and " the cause
OF much irregunrity, violation OF law and
neglect OF public duty" lie recommends
the abOshment OF the fee system FOR entry OF public
aud the substitution OF Xed salaries registers
and receivers The Commissioners refers To the neces
slty for preserving tho forests and TO this end
recommend Immediate withdrawal from aQprOpril-
ton sale disposal of all public forests and OF lands
valuable chiefly FOL timber subject to future legislation
the permanent reservation OF designated areas and
more economically governed disposal Of such timber
lands timber n 1t may not be necessary ndehnitoy TO
reserve