St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-12-07
OUR UBLIC DOMAIN
The Repeal Of the Presumption and
Timer Culture cts accom-


The Repeal of the Pre-e pti0n an d
Timser Culture cts accom-
mrnded.
The recommendations of the secretary of
he interior and the commissioner of the gen.
,ral land office looking TO the better protec-
ion of public lands and of the public surveys,
preservation of national forests, the adjudi-
cation # grants to states and corporations,
and of private land claims and the increased
efficiency Of the pub land service, are com
nended 10 the attention of congress. To Sc
cure the widest distribution of public lands
IN limited quantities among settlers of resi-
lence ana cultivation and thus make the
greatest number OF individual homes was the
primary object of the public land legislation
n the early days of the republic. This sys-
tenn was a simple one. 1t commenced with
an admirable scheme, by which the humblest
citizen could identify the tract upon which he
wished TO establish his home The price OF
and was placed within the reach OF all enter
priSing, industrious and honest pioneer citi-
Lens of the country. 1t twas soon, however,
found that the object of the law was per
gerted under the system of cash sales from a
distribution of land among the people TO an
accumulation of land capital by wealthy and
speculative persons. To check this tendency
4 preference right of purchase was given to
settlers on the land-a plan which eliminated
IN the general pre-emptiOn act of 1871. The
FOUNDATION OF THIS SYSTEM
VAS actual residence and cultivation. Twenty
years later the homestead laws were devised,
70 more surely place actual homes in the pos
session of actual cultivatorS OF the soil. The
land was given without price, the sole condi-
lions being residence, improvement and cdl-
tivation. Other laws have followed, each de-
signed to encourage requirement and use of
land in limited industrial quantities. But in
later years these laws through vicious admin
iStratiVe methods and under changed cOndi-
tons of communication and transportation,
have been so evaded and violated that their
benefcent purpose is threatened entire de-
feat. The methods of such evasOns and ViO-
latiOns are set forth in detail in the reports IF
the secretary of the interior and commits
Eioner of the general land Office. The rapid
appropriation of our public lands without
bona fide settlement or civilizations: and not
Dnly without intention of residence, but
for the purpose Of their aggregation
"a large holdings, in many cases in the
hands of fore gners, invite the serious and
immediate attention of congress. The earn
lngs of the land department have been de-
voted during the present administration to
remedy detects and correct abuses in the
public land service. The result of these
efforts are so largel in the nature Of reforms
in the process and methods OF ourland stem
as TO prevent adequate estimates. But il ap-
pears by a compilation from the reports of
the commission of the genera, land Office that
the immediate effect in leading cases which
have come to a final termination has been the
restoration of the mass OF public lands OF
2 $50. COZ acres; that 2,370.000 acres are en-
braC Q in investigations now pending before
the department or the courts. and that action
of congress has been asked to effect the
restoration of 2, 100000 acres additional be-
sides which. 100000 acres have been with
held from reservation and the rights of en-
terlng thereon maintained. recommend the
repeal of the
PRE-EMPTION AND TIMBER CULTURE ACTS
anu that the homestead laws be so Amended
as TO better secure the settler with valua-
ton for the period of five years from date of
entry, and without Communication or provision
for speculativ. REIMBURSEMENT. l al o
recommend the repeal OF the DESERT land laws,
unless il 5 all be the pleasure of congress to
so amend these laws as To render them less
liable 10 abuse. AS the chief motive for the
evasion Of the laws, and the principal cause
of their result in land accumulation instead
of land distribution in the facility with which
transfers are made of the right intended TO be
secure to st lers, it may be deemed adviSa-
BILE to provide by legislation some guards and
checks upon tue alienation of vested rights
and lands covered thereby until patents
issue Last year an executive proclamation
was issued, directing the removal of fences
which lnclOsed the public domain Many OF
these have been removed in obedience to such
order. but much of the public land still re-
mains within the lines of these unlawful
fences The ingenious methods resOrted to
In order to continue these treSpaSSeS, and the
hardwood of the pretenses by which, in some
cases. such Enclosures are justified are fully
detailed in the report of the secretary Of the
interior. The removal of the fences sti re-
manning which inclOse public lands, viii be
enforced with all the authority and means
with which the executive branch of the gov
eminent is or shall De invested BY the con-
SrresS for that PURPOSE