Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1888-08-16
LAND RE VIEW.
How Foreign. Born Persons May Ac.
uuirc Title to Public Lands.


Persons of foreign birth and parent.
age who have not been naturalized,
nor declared their intention to be-
come citizens of the United States,
nor received honorable discharges
from the military or naval service Of
the government, may purchase lands
at private entry within the States and
may. acquire title to mineral lands
within the Territories. 1t was prob
ably the intention of the lawmakers,
when enacting tho law on this sub.
ject passed by the last Congress, to
prevent the requirement by aliens of
title to agricultural lands in the sew.
eral Territories, and, as the law has
not been construed by the courts or
the Interior Department, it may be
that the object has been attained.
The opinion is, however, that it is
very doubtful whether the right to
purchase land at private entry in the
Territories-if any can be found sub.
ject to such entry-has been denied
to foreigners by said act.
In ordinary cases of entry under
the pre-. emption and timber-culture
laws, an alien who has declared his or
her intention to become a citizen OF
the United States may acquire title t.
public lands.
An entry may be initiated unde,
the homestead law by one who has
made the declaration Of intention
respecting citizenship, but the nat.
uralization must be complete before
title can oe perfected.
In the administration of the public
land laws, an honorable discharge
from the military or naval service o
the United States is considered a!
equivalent to a declaration of inten
ton TO become citizen SO far as re
lates to the initiation Of a claim.
A declaration of intention by Al
entryman, who dies before being fully
naturalized, is deemed equivalent to ,
declaration by his widow or mino.
children. An alien can acquire ne
rights, as against an adverse claim
ant, by settlement upon public land
Such settlers ri ghts, in the absence o
adverse claim, will relate back to dat'
of original settlement upon becomiu!
natural!zed.
The alien heirs of d. ceased home
steadcr may purchase under section
y, act June Is, 1880, unless forbid
den by the alien act referred to above
The son who came to this countr,
as minor with his father, and who's
fa,her-still iviug-has only declare
his intention to become a citizen,
not qualified to make entry withou
having fled his own declaration @
intention.
An alien who has been honorabl
discharged from the military or nava
service of the United States, may in
: itiate homestead entry but mus
take out citizenship papers before n
can complete his entry and receiv
patent.
The l9.year- old daughter of pc,
son who had declared his intention
become citizen, but had not yet re
celved his final citizenship paper!
may in person or by guardian max
proof upon the homestead OF her de
ceased father, provided she shall hay
> continued either in person or b
, proxy to cultivate and reside on til
land embraced, and is able to sho
, that she has taken the oaths require
by naturalization laws.
The full naturalization Of an allie
naturalizes his wife and all min,
4 children.
The marriage of an alien woman
an American citizen endows her Wit
citizenship.
The children of an alien who wei
I minors at the date Of his declaratio
0 of intention to become citizen, mn
q complete their naturalization in u
event that the citizenship of the fa,h'
was not completed prior to the a
tainment by them Of their majorit'e
u An alien who migrates during b
: minority and remains until after h
majority must become natnraized
he desires to exercise the rights al,
enjoy privileges Of citizenship.
. Alien women may he na,urallze
: the same as foreign born men, Il
proceeding being precisely similar.
The rules respecting citize oshlp
relation to entries Of public lan'
apply to all alike without regard