New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-12-09
The Land Commissioners Report.

The report Of Commissioner Sparks is
too long for emit re publication. Most OF it
is devoted to expositions of frauds and
abuses, Tor which he proposes the 10 flowing
amendments to the laws:
| respectfully recommend that the home
stead law be so amended as to provide tina t
the public lands OF the U nited States, other
than mineral or reserved timber lands, shall
be disposed ofonly under its provisions, and
that these be strengthened to secure actu.
al lnhabitancy, improvement and cultiva-
ton, us precedent conditions to the acuui-
sition OF any rights Hereunder, and abso.
lutely prohibiting and rendering nugatory
Tor any purpose whatever any sale or
transfer OF the homestead privilege or of
title derived or to be derived Hereunder.
prior to the issue OF patent. The law
should provide for substantial and not
merely pro lorna proofs, and applica tions
aud proofs should not bepermitted to be
made before any other officer than the land
officers ofthe United States. Nochange OF
the time within which proof is required to DO
made appears to me necessary or expedient
but | regard it as Of first Importance that
no entry or application should be allowed
before the actual esta Adjustment OF q per-
manent residence on the land. and that
proof should not be permitted before the
expiration OF the prescribed period OF five
years from date OF actual entry. Neither
should preliminary applications OF entries,
unaccompanied by actual settlement, be
regarded as a segregation or reservation OF
the land, but all actually uninhabited pub
tic lands should be free to the appropria-
ton OF any bona fde settler actually es-
tablishing homeupon the land, improving
1T and making use OF it for his subsistence
and the support OF his family or depend
ents. The requirement that actual homes
should be established and permanently
maintained on homesteads taken up under
the act, should he made imperative and
evasions OF the law, or a merely construc-
tive compliance with it's provisions,
should work an absolute FORTE iture OF the
homestead privilege. The sale of relln-
qrlshments as matter of business or
speculation should be made penal offense,
and attorneys or land brokers' buying or
selling homestead ACCOMPLISHMENTS, or
otherwise engaged in specializing in home
stead rights, or knowingly aiding in such
speculation, should thereby berendered in
capable OF practicing as attorneys before
this department or local land Offices, and
inhibited from access to the records. The
second section OF the act OF June Is, 1880,
which allows the purchase of lands embraced
IN abandoned homestead entries made
prior to 1879, has proved unqualifedly
pernicious, and should be repealed.
The subject OF land office fees is provoc-
alive OF unceasing dispute The whole
system OF the payment OF public services
by fees is Anticipated, cumbrous and un-
economical. recommend the adjustment
OF the fee system for entry on public lands
and the substitution of fixed salaries to
registers and receivers.
When Lieut.. Greedy lecturcd before tho
Scottish Geographical society recently in
he had one OF the most brill.
iant and intellectual audiences ever .as.
semblcd in that city. Lord Roseberry pre-
vilpi1 81 IS S :