Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-12-16

n ls and ne protection Of the universal laws
THE PUBLIC IAxDs
Ire recommendations OF the secretary or the
thteilor and the commissioner OF the general
lal5 once looking to the better protection OF
puonc lEus and OF the public surveys The
preservation OF the national forests, the adjudf-
eationei Grants TO states aud corporations and
q private land claim and the inefeaseu Ell
% the attention of congress- Tosecnre the widest
distribution OF public lands in limited auantf-
YES among settlers Of residence and cultivation
ana thus make the greatest number Of individ-l
ual homes, was the primary object or the pub
nc iana LEGISLATION in the early days OF the re-
public. This system was simple one. 1t COM
inenceu with an admirable scheme Of public
lahu survey by which the hnmbiest citizen
could Identify the tra3t upon which he wished
70 70 estaolish his home. The price OF lands was
piacca within the reach OF all the en.erprising,
industrious and honest pioneer citizens OF the
country: u was soon. however found that the
ooJect OF the laws was perverted under the sys-
tenn OF cash sales from distribution of land
among the people to an accumulation OF land
capital by wealthy and speculative persons
10 caeck this tendency preference right OF
purchase was given to settlers on the land,
plan which eliminated in the general pre-efnp-
tion act OF 1871. The foundation of this system
was actual residence and cultivation. Twenty
years later the homestead law was devised to
more surely place actual homes in the possess
SION OF actual cultivators Of the soil The land
was gwen without price, the sole conditions be-
ing residence improvement and cultivation.
Other laws have followed. each designed TO en-
courage the requirement and use of land in linn
i.ed individual quantities. But In late years
these laws. through vicious administrative
methods and under changed conditions of COM
mun1cation and TRANSPORTATION, have been SO
evaded and violated that their beneficent pur-
pose Is threatened with entire defeat. The
methods OF such eyasions and violations are set
forth IN detail in the reports OF the secretary Of
the in error and commissioner OF the general
lie lands without bona fide settlements or civ
iilzation. aud not only without intention Of res
ihence. bat for the purpose OF their aggregation
IN large holdings, in many cases in the hands Of
foreigners. invite the serious aud Immediate at
tention OF congress The earnings OF the land
department have been devoted during the pres
ent administration to remedy defects and
CORRECT ABUSES
in the public land service. The results of these
Efforts are so largely. in the nature Of reforms in
the practice and methods OF our land system as
TO prevent adequate estimates: but It appear5
from compilation from the rep arts Of The com
missioner OF the general land Office that the inn
mediate effect in leading cases which have come
70 i1nsl terminate N has been the restoration
70 the masses OF public lands aggregating
.,.5o.OOo acres; that 2,370,0 600 acres are en-
hraeed IN investigations now pending before the
department or the courts, aud that action CT
congress has been asked to effect the restoration
OF 2. 100000 acres additional: besides which
1000. 600 acres have been withheld from reserve
ton and the rights OF entering thereon main
tanned. recommend the repeal of the pre-
emptton and timber-culture acts and that the
homestead law be so amended as TO require res
ideneo FOX the period of five Years from date OF
entry without Communication or provision for
speculative REIMBURSEMENT also recommend
the repeal OF the desert land laws unless it
shall be the pleasure OF congress 10 so amend
these laws rs to render them less liable to 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 IL the
facihty with which transfers are made of the
right intended 10 be secured to settlers. 1t may
be deemed advisable to provide by legislation
some guards and checks upon the Animation of
vested rights and lands covered thereby until
patent sfsspe. Last year an executive proclama-
lion was issued directing the removal of fences
which incl0sed the public 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
sngenious methods resorted to In order TO con-
tinue these tresPasses and the hardiaood of the
pretsnses by which in some cases such in
closures are justified are fully detailed In the
report of the secretary OF the interior. The re-
movai Of the fences stili remaining which In
close public lands will be enforced with all the
authority and means with which the executive
branch Of the government is or shall lie invested
by congress for that purpose.
PENSIONS.
The report of the commissioner of pensions
contains detailed and most satisfactory exhibit
of the operations Of the pension onreau during
the l. st fiscal year. The amount of work done
was the largest in any year since the organi2a-
ton Of the bureau; and il hiss been done at less
cost than during the previous year in every divi-
sion, On june 30, 1856, there were 365, 7S3
pensions on the rolls OF the bureau. Since 1861
there nave been LOIS. 735 applications for pen
sions fled, of which az, S34 were based up n
service in the war of 1872; there were 62I,754
CT these applications allowed. including 60, Us
to the soldiers OF 1872 and their widows. The
total amount paid for pensions since 1861 il
sSos62lsll:57. The number Of new pensions
1856 is 4o.357, larger number
than has been allowed in any year
save one since 1865. The names Of 2,229 PEN
sioaers which had been previously dropped
from the rolls were restored during the year.
and after deducting those dropped within the
same time tor various causes net increase re-
mains for the year OF 20, 65S names From Jan.
1, 1861, TO Dec. ], 1885, 1857 private pension
acts had been passed. Since the last mentioned
date and during the last session of the congress,
GIL such acts became laws. IL seems TO me
that no one can examine our pension establish
ment and its operations without being con-
WINGED that through is instrumentality justice
can be very nearly done to all Who are entitled
under present laws tn the pension bounty OF the
government But 10 is undeniable that cases
exist we'll entitled to relief in which the PEN
sion bureau Is powerless TO relieve The really
worthy cases Of the class are such only lack
by misfortune the kind quantity of proof
which the law and regulstion OF the bureau re-
qu-re. or which. though their merit is APP
parent, TOR some other reason cannot be
justly dealt with through neral laws These
conditions fully justify application TO the con-
gress and special enactments, but report to the
congress for a special pension act to override the
deliberate and careful determination of the PEN
sion bureau on the merits or to secure favorable
action when it could not be expected under the
most liberal execution of general laws 1t must
be admitted opens the door to allowance of
questionable claims, and presents to the Iegisla-
tive and executive branches of the government
applications clearly not within the law. and
plainly devoid of merit, but SO surrounded by
sentiment and patriotic feeling that they sre
hard TO resist. 1suppose it will not be denied
that many claims for pension are made without
merit. and that many have been allowed upon
fraudulent representations This has been de-
clsred by the pehsion bureau, not only in this
infu of.,lt
and the justice OF any system for the distgfbu-
fi0n of pensions depend upon the equity and
uniformity of its operation IL will be seen
from the report of the commissioner that there
are now paid by the government 81 different
rates of pensions. He estimates from the
best Information he GIN obtain, that 5000 of
these who have served in the army and navy of
the United States are now
SUPPORTED. IN WHOLE OR IN PART,
from publc funds. or by organized charities, ex-
elusive of those in soldiers homes under the
direction and control OF the government. Only
) per cent of these are pensioners, while Of the
number vi men furnished for the late war some
thing like 90 per cent, including their widows
aud rel ,tives. have been or now ere In the re-
ceipr 0f pensione. The American people, with a
patriotic and grateful regard for our ex-soldiers,
too broad and too sacred TO be memorized by
any special advocate are not only willing but
anxious that equal aud exact Justice should be
be done to all honest claimants for pensions.
In their sight the friendless and destitute soldier
dependent on public charity, if otherwise en-
I'll led, has precisely the same right to share in
the provision made for those who fought their
country's battles as those better able through
friends and influence to push their claims
Every pension that is granted unCer our present
plan upon any other grounds than actual sefv-
ice injury or disease incurred In such service,
and every instance of the many in which PEN
sions are increased on other grounds than the
merits of the claim. work an injustiee to the
brave aud crippled but poor and friendless SOL
der who is entirely neglected or who must be
content with the smallest sum allowed under
general laws. There are far too many neighoor-
hoods in which are found giaring cases Of ine-
quality of treatment in the matter of pensions,
aud they are largely due to yielding In
the pension bureau to importantly on the
part OF those other than the pensioner.
special acts passed for the benefit of individuals.
The men who fought side by side should stand
side by side when they participate in grateful
nations kind remembrance. Every considera-
ton of fairness and justice to our ex-solders,
and the protection OF the patriotic instincts of
our citizens from pcryersion aad violence, points
TO the adoption OF q pension system broad and
enough to cover every tin
gency, and which shall make unnecessary an
Objectionable volume of special legislation. As
long as we adhere to the principle OF granting
pensions for service and disability as the result
of the service. the allowance OF pensions should
be restricted TO cases presenting these features.
Every patriotic heart responds to tender con-
sideration Tor those who, having served their
country long and well, are reduced to destftu-
tiOn and dependence, not as an incident OF thei-
service. but with advancing age or through sick
ness or misfortune. We are all tempted by the
of such a condition TO supply re-
lief. and are often impatient Of the lini-
tations OF public duty. Yielding 20
no one in the desire to indulge this
feeling of consi deration. / cannot rid
myself OF the conviction that IL thes- ex-sol-
diers are to be relieved they and their cause are
entitled to the benefit Of an enactment under
which relief be claimed as right. snd that such
relief should be granted under the sanction OF
law not In evasion: nor should such worthy OBJ
tects Of care all equally entitled TO relief, be
mitted to the unequal operation Of sympathy or
the tender mercies OF social and political in
iuence with their unjust Determinations. The
discharged soldiers and sailors of the country
are our fellow citizens, and interested with us in
the faithful execution Of who esome law. They
cannot be sweryed from their duty or citizenship