St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-06-05
STAND UP, MR.. SPARKS.
Talk df Congressional Inquiry Into
the Land Commissioner
Recent Doings,
The Order Regarding Timber-Oultnre
Entries, Etc. Formally Re-
called Yesterday.
Duluth Agitated Over the Decision
&c Close the Custom House
at That Place.
The Crow Reservation Leases, ana
Who Secured Them--A GOOD
hue Poisoning Case.
After Commits sioner sparks.

After Commits siOner sparks.
WASHINGTON, June An the senate
Mr. ingalls, offered resolution whlch' OH
objection by Mr.. Beck, went over I'LL TO-
morrow, calling on the secretary OF the Ill
terror to inform the senate whether q GER
tain circular had been issued by the COM
missioner of the general land once WIN ihe
approval of the secretary OF the interior,
stating that no new Applications lor entry
under the presumption, timber culture or
desert land acts would be received pending
legislation by congress on the report OF
these acts. The resolution then proceeds
to direct the secretary of the interior TO III
form the senate by what act 1t was claimed
that congress had delegated to the commits
sioner of the general land office or the sec
retary of the interior, or TO the officers
Jointly, the power to suspend, by executive
order the operation throughout the United
States of the presumption, timber culture
and desert land acts, and to deny the cltl-
Zens of the United States their rights under
said acts.
THE FORMAL REVOCATION.
The following circular was issueG from
the interior department to-day:
Washington. June 1, 1SS6.-To Registers
and Receivers United States Land Officers
Gentlemen: Based upon satisfactory evil
dence that an unusual number of entries I'M
der the presumption, timber culture ana des-
ert land laws are at this time being made an
ticipating the action OF congress repeating
said laws, and following numerous precedents
of this office and department deemed TO be IN
substantial harmony Herewith, the fol-
lowing order, approved by the secre-
tary was on the I'd inst. issued
to you: ..The repeal of the pre-emption'
timber culture, and desert land, laws oelnS
the subject of consideration by congress-
all applications to enter lands under sald laws
are hereby suspended from and atter tnls
date until the LIST day of August, 1856, ana
you are hereby directed TO receive no hlings
or new applications for entry under said laws
during said time" Now in view Of serious
question as to the existence of sufficient abso-
lutte legalauthority there for the same Is here
by revoked. WILLIAM A D. SPARKS
Commissioner.
I Approved. L.Q. C. LAMAR, Secretary.
THE FEELING AT ABERDEEN.
Special to the Globe.
ABERDEEN, Oak, June 4.-TO-day
special from Washington says Secretary
Lamar has overruled Commissioner Sparks
last ruling regarding entries of timber cul-
ture, desert claims and prescriptions. This
will be received with rejoicing in Dakota,
as it virtually stopped the settling up of
Dakota. Dakota heartily wishes Sparks
was out of the land department.
THE GREAT INCREASE IN ENTRIES.
Special to the Globe.
WASHINGTON, June 4.-Secretary Lamar
and Commissioner Sparks this afternoon
recalled the order suspending entries under
the presumption. timber-culture and desert
land laws. a dispatch was received from
Cheyenne to-day by Commissioner Sparks,
saying the officials there were overwhelmed
with applications for land. The thing that
first attracted attention to the inordinate
increase of entries, was report from the
Denver land Office, where. in March, 1885,
there were 145 presumption entries. AT
that office last March there were 379
and April. 1885, shows 116 pre-
emptions. In the first nineteen days of May
1856, there We're 40, for five months,
there were in 1885, 679 prescriptions at
Denver. For four months and nineteen
DAYS this year there were 1852. The home
stead and cash sales showed no such mar
Vicious increase but the timber culture en-
tries ran up like the prescriptions. In
April 1885, there were seventy-Seven such
entries at Denver. Last April there 416.
1t was on such reports as this, that the order
was issued Wednesday.
Secretary LamarS reason recalling the
order was that he has serious doubts of the
legal authority for suspending land entries
congress is in session and as the power and
responsibility rests with it to remedy the
evil. The complaint was made
TO the secretary against the order Of
suspension and he revoked it voluntarily
after consultation with Mr.. Sparks and
Ewith his full acquiescence. Lamar said
that there was no explanation of the great
increase of presumption, timber culture and
desert land entries on the score of increased
! settlement for settlers generally take
j homestead claims. 1t looked as if there
. was a general effect being made to grab
! good deal of land. In some Cases the volume
of entries had swelled 500 per cent. The
precedents maintain the right of the secretary
and commissioner to suspend entries, but
Ehitherto it has been exercised for some
kSpecific and temporary purpose and not in
Ea matter which legislation by congress al
kTeady in general session could cure. He
Eprefers to let the land grabbers go on with
their work and put the responsibility Oh
congress. Mr.. Lamar says he thinks he or
Commissioner Sparks have power when
Lcongress is not i'll session to suspend EN-
| tries. 1t was done in Minnesota, Wiscon-
sin. Iowa and other states twice, and the
ESuspensionS lasted over year.
The Duluth Custom House.