Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-12-08
PUBLIC LANDS.
RepeaI OF the Presumption and Timber
Culture Acis Recommended.

The recommendations of the secretary of the
interior and the comm ssiOner of the general land
oflce, looking to the better protection of public
lands ana OF the public surveys the preservation
OF national forests the adjudication OF grants to
states and corporations and of private land
claims. and the increased efficiency of the public
land service, are commended to the attention of
Congress. To secure the widest distri-
button of public lands in limited quantities
among settlers of residence and Guilt
walton, and thus make the greatest numbers of
individual homes was the primary object of the
public land legislation in the early days Of the
republic This system was a simple one. 1t
commenced with an admirable scheme of public
surveys, by which the humblest citizen could
identify the tract upon which he wished to estab-
lish his home. The price OF lands was placed
within the reach of all the enterprising,
found that the object Of the laws
from q distribution of land among the people to
an accumulation OF land capital by wealthy and
speculative persons. To check this tendency q
preference right of purchase was given to settlers
on the land, plan which eliminated in the gen.
eral pre- emptiOn 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 procession of actual cultivators of the roll
The land was given without price, the sole con-
ditions being residence, improvement and cul-
tivatlon. Other laws have followed, each de-
signed to encourage the requirement and use of
land in limited individual quantities. But in
later years these laws, through vicious admins
trative methods, and under changed conditions
OF communication and transportation, have been
so evaded and violated that their benehcent
purpose Is threatened with entire defeat:
The methods Of such evasions aud
violations we set forth in detail in the reports OF
the secretary OF the interior and commissioner of
the general land Office. The rapid appropriation of
our public lands without btna tjde settlements or
cultivation and not without intention of resi-
dence but for the purpose of their aggregation in
large holdings, in many cases in the hands of for
e1gners invites the Sc ious ana immediate atten-
ton OF Congress. The energies of the Land De-
partment have aeen devoted during the pres
ent administration TO remedy defects and
correct abuses i'll the public land seIv-
ice. The results of these efforts so
largely in the nature of reforms in the methods
of our laud system as to prevent adequate esti-
mates; butt appears by compilation from the
reports of the commissioner of the general land
office that the immediate effect in leading cases
which have come to a final termination has been
the restoration to the mass of public lands OF g.
10000 acres; that 2,370,OO0 acres are
embraced in investigations now pending before
the department the courts and that action
of Congress has been asked TO effect the re:tOra-
ton of2,790 600 acres additional, besides which,
4,OUO0DU acres have been withheld from reserva-
ton and the rights of entry thereon maintained.
recommend the repeal of the presumption and
timber culture acts, aud that the homestead laws
be so amended as to better secure compliance
with and cultivation for the period of five years
from date of entry, without continuation or
provision tor speculative REIMBURSEMENT.
dloO ISCOLu IGptdl vi TIC OSScll ldNoi
unless 1t shall be the pleasure of Congress to so
amend these laws as to render them less liable }
abuse. as the chief motive tor the evasion of the
laws and the principal cause of their result of
land accumulation instead of land distribution
is the facility with watch transfers are made in
The right intended TO be secured to settlers, it
may be deemed advisable to provide by legisla-
ton some guards and checks upon the alienation
of vested rights and lands covered thereby until
patents issue.
Last year an executive proclamation was is.
sued directing the removal of fences which in
closed the public domain. Many of these have
been removed in obedience to such order, but
much of the public laud still remains within the
lines OF these unlawful fences. he ingenious
methods Tesorted to in order to continue these
trespasses and the hardihood of the pretenses by
which in some cases such Enclosures are justified
fully de allied in the report of the secretary of
the interior. The removal of the fences still re-
naming which inclose public ands will be en-
forced with all the authority and means with
which the executive branch of the government Is
or shall be invested by Congress for that purpose.