The Bad Lands cow boy. [volume] (Little Missouri, Dakota [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-1886, 1886-12-16

3menced WIFI an admirable ECheme OF pubic
land survey. by which the hnmblest citizen
could identify hetraet upon which he wished
,to:estnbl1sh his homa. The price OF lands was
Placed within the reachSof allthe ,enterprising,
Industrious and honest pioneer citizens OF the
country. It was soon, however, found that the
pbiect of the was perverted under the sys-
of cash sales from a distribution OF land
inlong the people to an accumulation Of land
capital by wealthy and speculative persons.
10 check this tendency q preference right OF
purchase vas given to ;~settlers on the land, a
plan which eliminated In the general pre-emp-
ton act Of 1841.S The foundation Of this system
was actual residence and cultivation Twenty
years later the homesteadla law was devised to
more surely place actual homes In the posses
ZION Of actual cultivators of The soil. The land
was given without price. the sole conditions, hos
ing residence, Improvement and cultivation.
Other laws have followed. each designed to en-
courage the requirement. and use OF land in lin,
tied individual quantities.. But In late years
these laws: through vicious administrative
methods and under changed conditions of COM
municatton and TRANSPORTATION, have been SO
.vaded and violated that their benelcent pur-
pose is threatened with onttre% defeat. The
Methods OF such evasions and violations are sct
ptth IN detail in the reportsof the secrotaryof
ne interior and commissioner OF the general
5 ia 'la ofl9s nit Sns r sDh as fEgs se5tls%sn e our oT pub sIb.
~lizatton, and not only without intention of res
Sdence,s but for tho purpose OF their aggregation
n large holdings, in many cases in the hands OF
foreigners. invite the serious and immediate at
ientton of congress. Tho earnings of the land
Siepartment have been devoted during the pres
IuL ADMINISTRATION TO remedy uefeCtS and Est.&t
CORRECT ABUSES
n the public land service. Tho results Of these
Morris are 80 largely in the nature Of reforms in
The practice. and methods Of our land system as
% prevent adequate estimates; but 1t appears
missioner OF the general land office that the ini-
mediate effect in leading cases which have come
10 q final termination has been the restoration
2,775O,O0O acres: that 2,37O,O 900 acres are em-
eraced in investigations now pending before the
department or the courts, and that action Of
songress has been asked to effect the restoration!
IT 100000 acres additional : S besides which
4 LOCO, 200 acres have been withheld from reserva-.
non and the :rights of entering thereon main
tatned.+I the repeal OF the pre-,
tmption and tlmber-culture acts, and that the
homestead law be so amended Us to require res
denco for the period Of five years from date of
intrv without communication or provision for
speculative REIMBURSEMENT. I also recommend
Tho repeal of the desert land laws, unless it
lllall be the pleasure Of congress- to 80 amend
As the chief motive for the evasion Of the laws,
Ind the principal cause of their result in land
accumulation instead of land distribution Ia the
AGILITY with which transfers are made Of the
light Intended to be secured to settlers, 1t may
be deemed advisable to provide by legislation
,omc guards and checks upon the Animation OF
patent slssue. Last year an executive proclama-
don was Issued directing the removal Of fauces
witch Enclosed the public domain. Many Of
;hese have been removed in obedience to such
+ within he1ines of aaiese Unlawful fences. The
INGENIOUS methods tresorted to in order to con-
;inue these tresIiasses and the hardihood of the
,retenseSs by which in some cases such in-
closures are justified are fully detailed in the
ssepors Of the secretary Of the interior. The re-
lose public lands will be enforced with all the
authority and means with which the executive
,ranchs of the government Is or shall he Invested
" congress for that purpose:
at %n PENsIoNs.
The report of the commissioner Of pensions
contains: a detailed and most satisfactory exhibit
VI the operations OF. the peuslon bureau during
! Rasithe largest in any year since the organiza-
ion Of the bureau; and it has been done at less
,ost than during the previous year in every diyi-
tensions on the rolls Of the bureau. Since 1861:
here have been 1.01s. 735 applications for pen-
lions filed, of which Is. 1874 were based up.n
# these applications allowed, including co. 178
o the soldiers OF 1872 and their widows. The
:otal amount paid for pensions since 1861 Is
Flowed during tho year ended June 80.
han has been allowed in any year
!ioners; which had been previously dropped
rom the rolls were restored during the year,
ind aftor deducting those dropped within the
mains for the year Of 20. G5s names From JAM
/, 1861, to Dec l, 1885. 1857 private pension
tots had been passed. Sinoe the aforementioned
u AutG Il .aul1lS kuC1uSb 5oSblVu ~ gAS OOukItS5y
s44 such acts became laws. Il seems TO me
hat no one can examine our pension establish
nent and Its operations without being con-
rinced that through it's fundamentally Justice
ian BIO very nearly done to, ell who are entitled
Under present laws to tho pension bounty OF the
government. But # is undeniableg thar cascs
lion bureau is powerless TO relieve. The really
worthy, Cases Of the class aresuch as only lack
~ misfortune the kind or quantity OF proof
4 which the law and regulation OF the bureau re-
Iuire, or which. though their merit is ap-
parent. for some other reason CANNOT be
nstly dealt with through general laws. These
uoss and special ennctments. but report 70 the
congress for a special pension ACT to overrule the
deliberate and careful determination OF the PEN
lotion when it could not be expected under the
most, liberal execution Of general laws 1t must
10 admitted opens the door. to allowance Of
.ive and executive branches Of the government
applications clearly not within the law, and
,lainlv devoid of merit. but 80 surrounded by
lard to resist. suppose il viii not be; denied
& hat many claims for pension arc made without
merit. and that many have zee allowed, unon
.lared by the pension bureau, not only in this
but III prior administrations The usefulness
ind the 3usttce Of any aystem for the dtstribu,
hon$ofs pensions depend upon the equality and
f Uniformity Of its operation u will be saen:
from the report Of the commissioner that there
Sates of pensions. He $estimares, from the
II best information he csn obtain. that 5000 Of
these who have served In the army and navy o
he United States are now
PPoRT m WHOLE Or N PART,
lusiys q those il soidiersshom under tie
iirection and control OF the tgovernment. Only
ia tsrcons OF these are pensioners, while of the
lumber Of men furnished for the late war some
Ii md relatives, have been or now are in the re-
tcint Of pensione.N The American people, with q
fontriotic and grateful regard for our ex-soldierH.
100 broad and too sacred. to be memorizeds by
Is tnxious that equal and exact Justice should be
a be done to oil honest claimants for pensions.
In their sight the triendlessand destitute soldier
II tied, has precisely the same rightt to share In
tho provision made for thoSe who fought their
!ountry's battlss as those better able through
friends and influence TO push their claims.
: Every pension that ts Granted under our present
plan nppn any other grounds than actual asyy-
Zee. injury or diseahe Incurred An suoh service.
ind every INSTANCE 0f the many In (which PEN
iona arp inercAseds on other grounds than the
~ brave and crippled but poor and friendless sol-
ater, who Is entirely neglected or who uuAt be
,ontsnt With the smallest Bum allowed undcr
Eeaeral laws. There are fnI too many neishoors
Z luanry OF treatment 10 tbs matter Of pensions,
md they arc LARGELY due to q Yielding IN
u Tho pension bureau to- Importantly on the
T sSo espsaislly iasssssssd q thsy ssi.stiSm
Nin6ciall acts passed for the benefit of 1ndiyiduals
Enc man who fought stdo by Side should stand
lisc by side when thay partiqipats IA gratetpl
don 8 fairness and Justioe to our sxz.eidisrs,
md the protection a. the patriotic anstincts q