Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-06-17
RErEALISG LAND LAWS.
The Pre-emption, Timber Culture and
Desert Law Repeal BIN Passes the
House by Vote of 1s3to 4o.-wni Prob
ably Pass the Senate


House by Vote of 1850 4o.-wm Prob
ably Pass the Senate.
The house bin providing for the repeal 81
the presumption, timber culture and desert
land laws passed the house by vote of 1S3
to 80. The bill was called up under a sus-
pension OF rules by Chairman Cobb, oil the
committee on public lands. and its provis-
ions explained by him. Nelson OF Mime
sofa said:
He regretted that thu chairman OF the
land committe should have attempted to
pass this bill under a suspension OF the
rules Only fifteen minutes was allowed
for deba te on one OF the most important
measures that has yet come before the
house. lie did not believe that the house
could be made to understand the import
anee OF this measure, which repealed laws
that had stood upon the statute books
since 1S41.
Payson of Illinois was especially bitter
against the laws which il was proposed to
repeal and his five minutes advocacy OF
tho dill had much to do with the weakness
OF the opposition. lie said:
The bill had in substance already passed
both houses, and for four years had been
recommended by succeeding commission
ers Of the general land Office and two secre-
taries OF the treasury. The necessity for
the repeal was found in the report OF the
commissioner. which showed thai all the
frauds which had been committed upon the
public domain had been due to the existence
OF these laws. The change in the law could
not Cypress settlers greatly, as it allowed
Communication OF the homestead en-
tered entries raising, however, the
probationary period from six to thirty
months. You could not take up a report
OF a commissioner OF the general land
Office for the past four years without find
ing reports OF enormous frauds upon the
government, extending in single cases as
high as 5000 acres OF land. He himself
knew Of G, 900 acres OF land being taken by
one person, the Earl OF Dunraven, under
the presumption act, and reports OF special
agents showed that over hall million
acres had in one case been secured by spec
| ulators. The commissioner has but TWEEN
ty-three special agents at his disposal. and
yet he was able to prove that in the last
four years over 30 per cent OF the entries
under these laws were fictitious and fraud
ulent.
Mr. Weaver Qowa) stated:
He supported the bill simply because it
cut from our public land system the idea
! OF speculation, and that was the one thing
necessary il our deserving classes we're to
have the advantages OF the public domain
left at their disposal.
The bill was essentially measure
in the interest of railroads that had
land to sell, as it left the public
no opportunity OF securing land ex-
cept through tho operation OF the home
stead laws or to purchase from the rail.
| road companies. After the repeal of all
these laws, the act under which these frauds
had been committed was still in force,
namely, the homestead Communication act.
1t was true the latter act had been amend
ed, but why could not all these laws be
amended so as to prevent fraud. In the
| judgment oil the people OF the West, these
laws did not demand such perempt tory ac-
ton to guard the government against
| fraud.
O'Ncill OF Missouri, McAdoo OF New
Jersey and Springer of Illinois made short
| speeches in favor OF the bill and Mr.. Cobb
closed the debate, after which the bill
passed as stated. The bill has, in differ
ent form, already passed the senate at an
| other session, and one of the same
character has been reported by the senate
land committee and endorsed by the sen
ate Republican caucus, SO there is no doubt
Of its becoming a law.