Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1891-08-20
GOVERNMENT LAND DEPARTMENT.
The Present Management of Its Affairs Com
pared With Clevelands Administration.

Ane Present management OF Ats Aualfs Som'
pared With Clevelands Administration.
Sparks the Bullheaded Obstructionist.
The New York Mail and Express, in
a recent issue, reviewing the work done
by the present administration in all
departments ot the government, con-
trasts the conduct of the land depart
ment under Cleveland and the iniqui-
tous Sparks with that OF the present
administration. 1t is very opportune,
inasmuch as the bourbon press OF this
state have had the supreme gall to
attack Mr.. Carter and his work.
oLEvELAND's OBSTRUCTIVE TACTICS.
The general land office was organ
lied as a bureau of the government,
under the treasury department, in
1912, and was transferred to the in
terror department in 1849. The dis
position OF the public domain under
the mineral and public land laws, the
adjustment of railroad land grants,
the settlement of the land claims OF
states and of private individuals, to-
gether with all incidental matters con-
nected with the public domain, come
within the jurisdiction OF this bureau.
The important business coming with
in the jurisdiction OF this bureau had
been disposed of with a reasonable de.
gree of promptness prior to the Sd oi
April, 1855. Between that date and
1889 every class of business coming
before the Office seems to have been
hampered and retarded by dilatory
orders. until on the last named date
the general work of the Office was some
three years behind.
AN AFFRoNT TO THE WEST.
This condition of affairs arose from
the policy of Mr. Cleveland's admins
tration, as announced by his commits
sioner of the general land Office, Gen.
Sparks, of Illinois, i'm the first annual
report for the fiscal year ending June
30, 1885. Commissioner Sparks used
the following language:
"The proportion OF fraudulent ill
ings to the total number OF filings
made and relinquished may be esti-
mated in round numbers at exactly
100 per cent. The pre-emption sys-
tenn serves the speculative interest,
the timber interest, the cattle interest,
the coal mining interest, and the water
controlling interest, all at the cost or
to the exclusion OF actual settlers, ac-
cording as the purpose of it's use Is
speculation or monopoly"
MULTIPLYING ALL OUR PUBI.T LAND
LAWS.
On the Sd of April preceding the date
,f l... ts.Aiaa tn. l.n
commissioner issued an order sus-
pending final action upon all entries
OF the public lands except private cash
entries and scrip locations not de-
pending on settlement and cultivation,
in all the country west of range No.
II in Nebraska, the whole OF Colora-
do except lands in the Ute reserva-
ton, all of Dakota, Idaho, Utah,
Washington Territory, New Mexico,
Montana, Wyoming, and Nevada,
and that portion of Minnesota north
of the indemnity limits of the North
ern Pacific railroad and east of the
indemnity limits of the st. Paul, Min
neapolis and Manitoba railroad, and
without any reference to locality in
the same order all entries under the
timber act of 1878 and under the
desert land act were suspended. This
order practically undertook to abso-
lutely nullify all the public land laws
OF the United States.
MILLIONS WASTED By SPARKS ORDERS.
After the lapse OF twelve months
and the expenditure OF millions of dol
lars of the public money in attempt
ing to procure proof of this alleged
wholesale fraud, the secretary OF the
interior, having his attention called
to the charges made against the peo-
pie of the West, and the failure of the
commissioner to secure proof in sup
port thereof, felt constrained to re-
woke the order and once more permit
the settlers to enjoy the benefits OF
the laws passed by congress in the in
terest of sound policy and for the
benefit OF the homeseeking portion OF
our population.
During this period of absolute par
alysis, the whole West became utterly
demoralized, 20 far as the transaction
OF any business involving the title to
real estate was concerned; immigra-
ton was checked and the progress oi
the country very greatly retarded;
persons residing in the East desiring
to secure homes i'm the West were de-
tered from doing so by the fact that
the general land Office absolutely re-
fused to recognize the laws of congress.
While the order referred to was re-
voked by the secretary OF the interior,
Commissioner Sparks did not suffer
any change of views with reference to
the evil disposition which he assumed
and alleged that the Western people
possessed. Every possible hindrance
and obst acle was thrown in the way
of the homeseeking settler.
| TWO ADMINISTRATIoNs CoNTRASTED.
| With the incoming of the present ad
ministration decided change OF pol
icy with reference to the public land
laws was inaugurated. President
Harrison lost little time in having the
department of theinterior understand
that the homeseeking settler must bt
presumed to be honest until the con
trary clearly appeared. The result o
this change OF policy is made clearly
manifest by reference to the following
table, showing the amount OF busines:
finally disposed of i'm the land oflic'
for the first two fiscal years OF thu
Cleveland administration and the frs
two fiscal years OF the present admin
istration:
Two years Two year
under under
Cleveland. Harrison
Number Of agricultural
| patents issued.........- ~, ,443 23l go
Number OF mineral pat
ents issued .............. 2,164 80
Number OF coal patents