Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1886-12-08
PUBLIC LANDS.


sYHRrx1R PEorxCrfom nnons8AnI
The recommendations OF the secretary u the
interior and the commissioner Of the general
land office looking to the better protection Of
public lands and cs public surveys. the preserva-
tion of national forests. the adjudication Of
grants to states and corporations, and OF private
land claims, and the increased efficiency Of the
public land service are commended to the atten-
ton Of congress. To secure the widest distribu-
tion Of public lands among settlers Of residence
Der ofindividaai humee was the primary object
Of the public land legislation in the early days OF
the republic This system, was simple one
surveys by. which the humblest citizen could
identify. the tract upon which he wished
to establish his home. The price, of
enterprising. industrious and honest pioneers
citizens OF the country. 1t was soon. however
found that the object ct the laws was perverted
undar the system of cash sales from the distri-
button of land among the people to an sccnmu-
lation of land capital by wealthy and speculative
persons. To check this tendency preference Of
the right OF pu chase was given settlers ON land
a plan which eliminated In
rHE GENERAL PRE- EMPrIoN ACT
of 1881. The foundation Of this system was 90
tual residence and cultivation. Twenty years
later the homestead law WAS devised to more
surely place actual homes 10 the possession of
actual cultivators of the soil The land was
given without price, the sole conditions being
residence improvement and cultivation. Other
laws have followed, each designed to encourage
the requirement and use of land in limited indi-
vidual quantities. But In later years these laws.
through vicious administration methods and
under changed conditions Of communication and
transportation. have been SO evaded and violated
that their benehcent purpose is threatened with
sna hs se q o
the reports OF the secretary OF the
interior and commissioner, OF the gen.
e Ct pnSc iands without bonadsp
or cultivation. and not only without intention
Of residence, but for the purpose of their aggre-
ea,isn y large holdings, In many cases N tn the
mediate attention of congress. The energiee of
the land department have been devoted during
the present administration to
REMEDY THE DEFECTS AND CORRECT THE
ABUSES
In the public land service. The results Of these
efforts are SO largely in the nature of reforms in
the process and methods Of our land sy stem as
to prevent adequate estimates, but it appears by
a compilation from The reports of the commits
sioner Of the general land office that the i'm
mediate effect in leading cases which have come
to the masses Of the public lands to the amount
OF 2,I5oIG0 acres; that 2S70UU acres en-
braced in Investigations now ponding before the
department or the courts and that the action
Of coneress has been asked TO effect the restora-
ton of 2, 10000 acres additional. besides which
400,0 acres have been withheld from reserva-
ton and the rights of entry thereon maintained
recommend the repeal of the presumption and
timber culture acts and that the homestead laws
he amended as to better secure compliance
with and cultivation for the period of five years
from the date of entry without Communication OF
provision for speculative REIMBURSEMENT. ! also
recommend the
REPEAL OF THE DESERT LAND LAW
unless 1t shall be the pleasure OF congress- to 90
atnend this law ms to render it less liable to
abuse. The chief motive for evasion of the laws
and the principal cause Of their result in land &C
cumulation instead of land distribution is the
facility with which transfers Can be made OF the
right Intended to be secured to settlers. 1t may
be deemed advisable to provide BY legislation
some guards and checks upon the alienation
of vested rights and land covered thereby until
patents are issued. La year m executive proc
lamation was issued directing the removal of
fences " llich inclose the nabiic domain. Many
Of these have been removed In obedience to such
order, but much of the public land still remains
within the lines of these unlawful fences The n
genious methods resorted to in order to continue
these trespasses, and the hardihood of the pre-
lenses by which in some cases such Enclosures
are justified, are fully detailed in the reports oi
the secretary of the interior. The removal of
the fences still remaining which incloss public
lands will be enforced with all the authority
and means with which the executive branch oil
the government is or shall be invested by the
congress for that purpose.