The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-12-14


pie lead others to follow, breaking away
from tribal customs and substituting there
for the love of home, the interest OF the
family and the rule of the state. The In
dian character and nature are such that
they are not easily led, while broOdins
over unadjusted wrongs. This is especially
so regarding their lands Matters arisinl
! from the construction and
OPERATION OF RAILROADS
across some of the reservation,
and claims of title and right of occupancy
set up by white persons to some of the
best land within their reservations, require
legislation for their final adjustment. The
settlement of these matters will remove
many embarrassments TO progress IN the
word of leading the Indians 10 the adOp-
ton of our institutions and bringing them
under the operation, influence and protec-
! ton of the universal laws OF our country
The recommendations OF the secretary Of
| the interior and the commissioner OF the
general land office looking to the
BETTER PROTECTION OF PUBLIC ANDs
and of the public survey, the
preservation of the national forests and
the adjudication of grants to states and
corporations, and for private Ian claims
and public land service, are recommended
TO the attention of congress, TO secure the
widest distribution Of public lands in
limited quantities among settlers for resi-
dence and cultivation, thus making the
greatest number of individual homes, was
the primary object of the public legislation
in the early days of the republic. This
system was simple one. IL commenced
with the admirable schene uf public sur
veys by which the humbic>t citizen
could identify the tract upon
which he wished to establish his home.
The price of lands was placed within the
reach of all the enierprising. industrious
and honest pioneer citizens of the country.
1t was soon found, however, that the object
of the law was perverted under the system
of cash sales from a distribution of the
land among the people TO the accumula-
ton of land capital by wealthy and specu-
lative persons To check this tendency a
preference right of purchase was given TO
settlers on the land. A plan which culmi-
mated in the general pre-emptiOn act of
1881,
THE FOUNDATION OF THIS SYSTEM
was actual residence and cultivation.
Twenty years later the homestead law was
devised TO more surely place sctual homes
In possession of actual cultivators of the
soil. The land was given without price,
the sole condition being residence, i'm
provement and cultivation. Other laws
have followed, each designed TO encourage
the requirement and use of land in limited
individual quantities, but in later years,
these laws, through viscious administrative
methods and under changed conditions of
communications and transportation, have
been so evaded and violated
that their beneficial purpose is
threatened with entire defeat. The meth
DDS OF such eyasions and violations
are set forth in detail in the reports of the
secretary of the interior and commissioner
of the general land Office. The rapid APP
preparation of our public lands without
bonifde settlers or cultivation and not
only without intention of residence, but
for the purpose OF their aggregation in
large holdings, In many cases in the hands
OF foreigners, invite the serious and i'm
mediate attention of congress.
THE ENERGIES OF THE LAND DEPARTMENT
have been devoted during the present adj
ministration to the remedy of defects and
to correct abuses in the public land service.
The results of these efforts are so largely
in the nature Of reforms in the processes
and methods of the public land system as
to prevent adequate estimates, but it APP
pears by compilation from the reports of
the commissioner of the general land of
fee that the immediate effect, In leading
cases, which have come TO a definite termi-
nation has been the restoration to the mass
OF public lands of 2,750,000 acres, and that
2,375, 900 acres are embraced In the inyes-
legations now pending before the depart
ment, or the courts, and that the action
of congress has been asked to
ef-ct the restoration of 2,790,000 acres
additional, besides which, 100000 acres
have been withheld from the reservation,
and the rights of entry thereon maintained.
L recommend the repeal of the preemption
and timber culture acts, and that the
homestead laws be so amended as TO better
secure compliance with their requirements
OF residence, improvement and cultivation
for the period OF FIVE years from date of
entry, without Communication or provision
for speculative Accomplishments. | also
recommend the repeal of
THE DESERT LAND LAWS,
unless IT shall be the pleas
ure of congress TO so amend
these laws as to render them less liable to
abuses, as the chief motive for an evasion
of the laws and the principal cause of their
result In land accumulation instead of
land distribution is the facility with which
transfers are made of the right intended TO
be secured to settlers. Ii may be deemed
advisable to provide by legislation some
guards and checks upon the alienation of
homestead rights and lands covered there
by, until patents are issued. Last year
AN EXECUTIVE PROCLAMATION
was issued directing the removal of fences
which enclosed the public domain.
Many of these have been removed
in obedience 10 such order, but much of
the public land still remains within these
unlawful fences. The ingenious methods
resorted 10 in order to continue their tres
passes and the hardihood of the uretenses