The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1888-11-29
puellc LAND sTEALiNt.

pvollc LAND STEALING.
We repuhllsh the l@ttsrof Hon. G.
p. Naginnis to the department. r..
plying 70 certain questioas asked.
Although Mr.. Maginn,s hAs lsft the
ppairpss - stih sememoeSs those re-
mainsng, aud pats In word for
cheap lumber and fuel Tor our use:
/ Duluth. Mimi. July Is. 1883.
Hon. COMMISSIONERS OF rnE GENERAL
LAND OFFICE.
Warrington. .. G.
SIR:-
The attemrtto, acquire land fraud.
ulently under either Of the land laws
In this district has decreased. caused.
By stricter Interpretation Of exist.
Ing law and practice Of the General
Land Once.
A great many frauds may be per !.
petrated under committed homestead
and pre- ,emption laws. But as good
faith 10 the only requirement. and a.
no living person. except the party in
interest, can define what the entry.
mans intentions are. or what good
faith means as applied to homesteads
and prescriptions. We know OF no
remedy under the present law.
Tho cause Of fraud In this district
is the desire to secure the land for
the value Of the timber and the
supposed minerals.
This might be avoided to certain
extent. If 1t were not for the inter
probation of Section 246l Revised
Statutes. and circular "P" December
Is, 1885. wherein all persons are
forbidden to cut or remove timber
from the land entered under the pre-.
emption or COMMITTED homestead law
until patent issues. A strict Observ-
ance Of this rule often works 4 great
injustice and hardship on the lawful
owner Of the land at present, as the
issuing of the patents is so far behind
that several years must pass before
he can avail himself Of the value Of
the property that he has fulfilled
every requirement Of the law to
procure, and is often the cause OF the
entire loss Of his pine. as ii. for
instance. . forest flre runs over it 1t
is of no value if not removed imme-
diately. II the requirements of this
circular are to he strictly adhered to.
we would advise the immediate in.
spection of the land by special
agent, upon whose recommendation
patent would issue, or at least confer
upon the settler the right to use all
his property IS he might elect. If
this might be accomplished and he
secured by the sale of his timber the
money needed, it wonld, in many
instances. relieve him from selling
the land. as the purchase price of the
wood could be applied to the purchase
of stock and cultivation Of the farm.
Honest settlers are often forced into
selling their land by the statement
Of interested parties that he can
never get a patent for the land In
this district. and that he had better
sell, as transfer OF title gives color
to and looks ike fair transaction.
In this way the timber sharks secure
help from the law intended to defeat
them.
A largo number of entries in this
district are made for the money that
the timber can be sold for after pr0vl
ing up. This district is nearly al
covered with timber. most of it pine.
The west part OF Minnesota and all
Of Dakota 10 prairie land. devoid of
timber Of all kinds! It is absolutely
necessary that the farmers on these
prairies be. su pplied with wood and
lumber. in fact to withhold them
would endanger the lives Of \ great
many Of these people, and although
the preservation of forests might be
very beneficial In the future. any law
or practice that deprives the pioneer
Of the Immediate use. or adds to the
present high price would be unpopular
and deservedly 20.
In view Of all the facts. and as we
are not In favor of public sales of
timber lands whereby monied men or
combinations Of wealth might acquire
the public domain for speculation to
the detriment Of the adj Joining country
and deprive poor men Of anv chance
10 make either homes or money out
Of them, we might suggest the prac
tice now followed by the State OF
Minnssot a-thst Of selling the stump
age Of all classes Of timber (pine in
particular, after having them first
appraised by competent men. and
afterwards sold at auction to the
highest bidder, giving the buyer .
certain number of years to remove
the wood. would advise reserving
upon each quarter section ten or
twenty acres fer the use Of the
person who might afterwards enter
or buy the land. In this way the