Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1888-09-12
corps LAND REVIEW.

In the beginning Of this series Of let
tiers, mention is made Of what is known
as the Holman public land bill, and Of
the bin FORGETTING railroad land grants,
and it was stated that neither would pass
both houses Of congress at the present
session. Subsequently the fact was an
nounced that bills had been passed by
the house Of representatives, and the
opinion that they would not get through
the senate was reiterated.
Mr.. Holman seems to have arrived at
o conclusion in harmony with those
opinions, and has adopted very unusu-
al not to say unwise course with q
view to securing by suspension the OBJ
jects he fears will prove unattainable. by
the ordinary methods Of repeal and
straightforward declarations Of forfeiture.
On August % he introduced a bill to
all laws touching the disposal
of public lands except the homestead
law, and for other purposes, by which it
is provided that the public lands Of the
United States shall be disposed of only
under and according to the provisions OF
the homestead laws, and that the COM
mutation clause of those laws shall be
imperative, until the pending legislation
affecting such lands shall be disposed of,
or until the present session of congress
shall adjourn; and that any isolated or
disconnected tracts Of public land less
than 100 acres may be ordered sold at
private or public sale for not less than
$1.25 per acre when in the judgment of
the commissioner of the general land
Office it would be proper to do SO. That
during and after the tendency Of meas
ures now before congress relative to rail
road grant forfeitures no act done by any
Of the grantees shall enlarge their right
or claim to any lands covered by the
gronts, nor shall this provision be con-
strued to diminish or waive any right of
the United States to declare forfeiture
Of any OF the grants.
In a brief letter like this E would be-
impossible to point out all of the errors
embraced in this proposed law. In the
first place it violates well-established
legal principles in attempting to accom-
plish by indirection that which has been
found impossible to do in a direct legal
manner. Next it undertakes to prevent
persons who have made homestead en-
tries from exercising the right to COM
mute their entries which is vouchsafed to
them by the laws under which the entries
have been made. 1t denies to the per-
sons (and their assigns) who for waivers
Of legal rigts to valuable lands have ac-
cepted scrip from the government, the
right to locate such scrip in the manner
prescribed by law and the terms Of
agreement between them and the govern
ment. 1t undertakes to wipe out OF ex-
istence that rule of law laid down by the
supreme court of the United States by
which contracts with the government are
held to run until legally revoked by
competent authority, and to impair the
rights Of citizens. Should it be carried
into effect it would work incalculable in
jury to the progressive communities Of
the northwest, and interfere with private
rights in every public land state and ter
ritory of the Union.
It would stop proceedings towards
completing every entry that has been
initiated under any other than the home
stead law, and probably cause the sus-
pension Of work on every line Of uncom-
Epleted land grant railroad The COM
missioner. in the report which he win
probably be called upon to make upon
this bill, should emphatically dieapproyel
its enactment into law.
HENRY N. Corr.