Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-08
THE PUBLIC LANDS.
Interesting Information Tn the Report Of
COmmi ssloner Carter

Commissioner Carter Of the general land
otHce has made his report on the operations OF
his bureau during tine fiscal year ended June
80, 1892 In this he SAYS:
"A careful reading Of this report will demon .
strate that the liberal and jls, policy toward
the settlers upon the public domain adopted by
Secretary Noble at the beginning of this admin
tstration has been productive of very satisfsc-
tory and benefcent results.
ct felt justified. he continues. '.in predict
ing IN my animal report OF last year that with
the force then at command the business OF this
bureau would be brought up abreast with cur
rent work by the end of the fscal year Just
closed. II Is gratifying 10 me to now be able
to report TO YOU that a literal fulfillnent OF
that prediction has been fully consummated.
POLICY UNDER THE LAST ADMINISTRATION.
''In order that the magnitude of the work
done during the last fiscal year MAJ readily be
comprehended and the results accomplished
fully appreciated feel warranted in referring
to and discussing briefly the policy that gov
erned and controlled the business OF this Office
under the last administration frcm 1885 TO 1899.
commissioner Sparks. on page - OF his an
nual report fer the fiscal wear ended June so.
1885. said: Ar the outset Of nv administration
was confronted with the overwhelming evil
dences that the public domain was being made
o prey Of INSCRIPTIONS ~peculatiOn and the
worst forms OF land monopoly through sys-
tematic fraud carried on and contaminated
under public land laws.
ale further stated in the same report. in
discussing the subject Of committed home
steads. that the proportion of fraudulent en-
tries of this kind could be more nearly esti-
mated at the whole number Of such entries
than in any other manner; that the average
proportion Of fraudulent pre-empti0n filings
a. har ~al Nb.r ma nd rnllu
pushed should be estimated in round num-
bers at exactly 100 per cent and that 30 per
cent Of all timber culture entries were frnudu-
lent Having become wrongfully imbued with
the idea that nearly ALL or at least a very large
proportion Of the entries made upon the public
domain were fraudulent. and that the great
body of well-disposed settlers were uEscrupu-
lous SPECTATORS. il is not surprising that Com
missioner Sparks. on April 8. 1885, issued an
order suspending action on all entries Except
on certain scrip locations and on private cash
entries) in the whole Of Colorado. except the
reservation, and In all Of Dakota. Idaho. Utah.
Washington, New Mexico. Montana. Wyoming
and portions Of Kansas, Nebraska and Mime
sofa
NEW METHODS ADOPTED.
1.-The detrimental effect of this and other SINH
lar sweeping orders and Of the mistaken i'm
preston and policy which prompted them upon
the business Of this Office was very great, and
- . consequence this administration.
summing the reins of government in 1889, was
confronted BY land Office greatly demoralized
In al its ramihcations- Injustice or a denial Of
Justice under the machinery of the law was its
dominant feature. The settler who had
honestly and laboriously and at much hazard
and heavy expense complied in good faith with
all the requirements Of the laws, outraged and
indignant at the multiplied injuries inflicted on
him by administration. demanded O title to
the land he held by settlement, by cultivation
and by compliance with the law fully earned.
Thus by reason of this erroneous and mistaken
policy the legitimate channels of business in
this Office had become clogged, and by reason
Of wrongful DELAYS a vast amount Of work had
accumulated. there being at the close Of the
fiscal year ended June 8 , 1888, $50, 953 entries
Of all kinds pending or awaiting consideration.
Under these circumstances q change Of policy
vas deemed necessary. Hence. shortly after
March 4. 1888, . new administrative policy.
based on liberal and enlightened Interpretation
Of the public land laws, was adopted by you,
and has been continued during the intervening
fiscal years. Under this new policy settlers are
presumed to be honest and well disposed toward
the government and toward the laws, and the
public land business has been expedited with
marked benefcent results.
ION March 8. 1891, law was passed entitled
AN act to repeal the timber culture law and for
other purposes, in which Congress manifested
its approval Of the new policy. Under and by
virtue OF sec uon OF that law large numbers OF
cases, long suspended on the merest suspicion
Of fraud or under harsh technical rulings, have
been and are being passed to patent in a man.
ner which. while greatly facilitating business,
also supplies ample safeguards against all pos
sible fraud
EFFRcT or THE CHANGE
'In virtue Of this marked and beneficial
change Of policy and under the favorable legis-
lation mentioned the large number of accumu-
lated entries above stated. together with an ad-
dition Of 31S,036 entries received since the
present policy was inaugurated, had, on June
10, 1881, been carefully considered and proper
action taken thereon.
"Inasmuch as the accomplishment of this vast
amount Of work is attributed largely to change
of policy adopted by the present administers
ton. comparative tables. covering the respect
i've periods mentioned. are herewith submitted
and . careful inspection thereof invited
The following il q recapitulation of these
tables: