Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1886-02-05
. sAfR STATEMENT RRoa THE
LAND COMMISSIONER

WARRINGTON, Jan. N.-Commissiouei
so.rks today received delegates from
ssa,d.en. DAk., and Omaha, Neb. Ir
- ins,snse his visitors salled 70 pro
- against certain rulings Of the Lane
49, and lsarn from the Com missioner
s~rhaIly something definite regarding
his Intentions. The Aberdeen delsgs
tioc esssented q long memorial. signed
=, Delegate Clifford and other western
CONSERVATIVES. setting forth the troa-
hIss OF the land business. 1t was held
that the withholding Of patents and the
csaosllation Of entries we're indIcting
Asrdships upon innocent parsons and
Frightening capital out Of the new se.
usmeuts. The harden Of the address
vss that the receipts given bs the dis
tyis, land office should be fnal in order
.hst money loaned spon snch receipts
voald be secure. Another feature OF
she nemorisl vas the statement that
tbs Investigation Of fraudulent entries
sftsr the issuance OF land certificates
inflicted iniary upon innocent Pur
ehassrs Of tue land. Mr.. SPARKS met
the various phases OF the case in the
following:
The Land Offies recsipts csunet be
anal under the Law. You must appeal
10 Congress. The decisions OF the courts
ars plain upon this point. This depart
mspt cannot amend the law. It is our
duty simply to enforce it. A person
Iosning money apon the land office re-
ceipts and taking mortgage IL perfectly
seoare II the entry was in good faith.
spprehend that no man lends money
upon pablio lands in this stage without
moving somsthing about the improve
meuts, the actual residence and the
rood faith of the prs-emptor. IL be
does, be 10 not ordinarily pradsnt. The
bons fide settler Who Is making his home
npon the land, and has substantial i'm
movements, will not be molested. The
man Who goes there With all he has, ea
ters land in good faith, maintains q
hsbitable dwelling, and does What he
can In the way Of cnltivstinQ his land,
ID safe person 10 loan money o.. He
is not going to DO disturbed. On the
contrary, me An that he shall be pro
tested. II 10 the chap Who Ia not making
improvements or an actual residence.
Who has q worthless shanty on his place
In which be occasionally spends night,
and Who proves up by means Of perjury
and other kinds Of sharp practices, shat
shis department is after. This 10 not q
safe person TO loan money to; fer IL the
land is deserted o. soon az the loan has
besn obtsine1. or II any agent discover
sad report the manner In which the eu
Try vas made. no patent will be issued.
I would not advise anybody to loan
money upon land taken by q non
H. 4, o ka
% he has made Anal proof, bat loan
would be perfectly secure in q case where
there 10 actual settlement. The courts
have decided that the Government has
not parted with the land until the
patent issues; but We have taken the
position that when claimant has %
cured his receipt. il 10 equivalent 10 Q
paient for purposes Of morteagine OF
alisnating the land, provided he has
compiled With ths Law. In loanina
money, 10 10 wise TO ascertain that the
borrower has made a proper residence
and otherwise observed the Law in good
faith. Then II 10 perfectly safe to deal
With him the same as II he held the
patent. Regarding the statement that
patents are being withheld to an unusual
extent, can assert that they are being
issued faster by FIVE hundred or a thou
sand per month than sver before in the
history OF this country.
The visitors acknowledged the fair
mess and justness Of General Sparks's
position. The Omaha banker said he
considered the Commissioned 20 be right
On the subject. and he declared that he
would not loas money to any msa who
was endeavorine to acquire land BY
means.