New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-06-16
REPEALING LAND LAWS,
me Pre-emption, Timber Culture and
Desert Law Repeal Bill Passes the
House by a Vote of 1850 4O.-Win Prob
ably Pass the Senate.

I'll r
Desert Law Repeal Bill Passes the
House by Vote of 1870 4O.-Vill Prob
ably Pass the Senate.
The house bill providing for the repeal OF
the presumption, timber culture and oe.er15
land laws passed the house by vote o. s2
to 80. The bill was called up under a sus.
pension OF rules by Chairman Cobb, OF the
committee on public lands. and it's provis-
ions explained by him. Nelson of Mime
sofa said:
He regretted that the 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 tie on one of the most important
measures that has yet come before the
house. He did not believe that the house
could be made to understand the import
ance OF this measure, which repealed laws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 it was proposed to
repeal, and his five minutes advocacy of
the bill had much to do with the weakness
OF the opposi ton. He said:
The bill had in subs tance 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 il the report OF the
frcommissioner, which showed that 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 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 5000 acres OF land being taken by
one person, the Earl of Dunrayen, under
the presumption act, and reports Of special
agents showed that over half a. million
acres had in one case been secured by spec
uiators. 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 80 per cent OF the entries
under these laws were fictitious and fraud
\, ulent.
Y 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 if our deserving classes were to
have the advantages OF the public domain
left at their disposal
Mr.. Perkins (Kan.) maintained:
The bill was essentially a measure
IN the interest OF railroads that had
land to sell, as it left the public
no opportunity OF securing land ex-
cept through the 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 OF the people OF the West, these
laws did not demand such peremp tory ac-
4 zion to guard the government against
1raud.
O'NeiN 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 doubt
OF it's becoming law.