, 1885-01-14
ON LAND LAWS.
The Senate Favors Only the
Homestead Act.
A Bill That Is Of Immense
Local Interest.
Other Measures That Have
Passed the House.
The Repeal Rill Paased.


WASHINGTON. Jan. lathe bill to
repeal prescriptions, desert lands and
timber culture laws and to amend the
homestead law has passed the senate.
First section provides for the repeal of
the pre- emption law; this repeal, however,
does not effect the rights of any person
which are accruing on the passage of the
act. 1t further provides hat any person
who has not heretofore had the benefit of
the presumption law, and who has failed
from any cause to perfect his title to the
land heretofore entered by him under the
homestead laws may make second home
stead entry in lieu of his presumption
privilege, which is repealed.
Section three amends the revised stat
utes so that persons who haye availed
themselves Of the homestead laws may
pay a minimum price for lands after
eighteen months from the date of entry,
provided they file a preliminary notice SIX
months before.
Section four repeats the desert land act
except as to the claims which exist at the
date Of passage of the act.
Section five provides that no public
lands, except abandoned military or other
reservation, mineral lands and other lands
the sale of which has been authorized by
special act Of congress, shall be sold at
public auction, or by special private en-
try. All offered public lands are with
drawn from the market and shall be dis
posed of as unoffered public lands.
Senator Dolph in the report accom-
panying the bill says that under the pres
emit laws any person can acquire title to
l60 acres under the presumption and
homestead and timber culture acts or 4S0
acres in all. The committee is of the
opinion that the time has come to limit
the requirement Of government land by
one person to l6O acres. Another reason
for the repeal of the presumption law, is
the alarming increase Of fraudulent claims
under it lately. The report says that it
has been charged that this fault was in
the execution of the law, but the commit
tee is Of the opinion that the law contains
such inherent defects that fraudulent
entry cannot be wholly prevented. The
increase Of fraudulent entries in its opinion
is due to the increased value of lands and
and the consequent greater Inducements
offered for the evasion oflaw. The repeal
of the timber culture law is recommended
because it has proved failure.
The report continues: Experience
has demonstrated hat the desert land act
instead of securing settlement and re-
clamation of desert lands by actual set
tiers has been made the means of secur-
ing fraudulent title to agricultural lands.
There is a rapidly growing sentiment in
this country for the repeal Of all laws
providing for the disposal of agricultural
public lands, except homestead law. that
the public domain shall hereafter be re-
served for homes for settlers. The com
mittee is of the opinion that this should
be the future policy of the government.
Even if settlers are restricted to 160 acres
of land it will be but a comparatively few
years before all public lands suitable for
homes will be exhausted"
In conclusion the report says: 1.-THE
practical exhaustion of our public domain
will force upon the attention of our peo-
pie of this country new, important and
difficult questions, and in the opinion of
the committee the time when our rapidly
increasing population instead of being
able to take up homesteads on public
lands and make homes for themselves,
shall be compelled to find homes in our
oyercrowded cities, should by wise legis-
lation be postponed as long as possible.