Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1892-04-14
NO LAND GRABBING.
steps Taken IiY the General Land Ofice 20
Prevent Grabbing Ia Oklahoma -schem-
Ing Attorneys Headed on

steps Taken Nv the General Land Once "a
Prevent Grabbing la Oklahoma Schem-
Ing Attorneys Headed on
WAsHINoToN, April ii.~Thc attcn.
tion of Commissioner Carter Of the gen.
eral land office was last night called 10
the dispatch from Guthrie relative Ia
the excitement occasioned at King
fisher as a result Of the instructions sent
from Washington 10 the land officers at
that place and at Oklahoma City pre-
seribing rules for the opening TO settle
ment Of the Cheyenne and Arapahoe
lands.
The commissioner said that the tele-
gram as sent to the newspapers from
Washington was strictly correct. The
commissioner further said.
For many years the rule has existed
that declaratory statements could be
fled only by the individual in person or
through an agent appearing ut the land
office, Soldiers declaratory statements
never have been recognized when re-
ceived by mail Many years ago Com
missioner Drummond ruled on this point.
The ruling has been steadily adhered
to, so that as 10 the use Of the mails as
Il medium through which soldiers de-
claratory statements might be presented
no change has been made The instruc-
tions merely call attention t. an ancient
rule which has never been dcyiated
from.
As TO homestead filings in general,
the law provides that the paper when
forwarded by mail must have been pre-
pared before the proper officer in the
county in which the land is located. As
at the date land in question will be
thrown open to settlement, there win
be no officers in the counties in which
the lands are situated, II follows that
no papers can be legally prepared in
such counties Consequently without
any rule on this subject whatever the
mails cannot be made available as a
medium through which filings can be
presented at the time of the opening.
The commissioner, being further in
terrogatcd with reference TO the proposed
rule limiting the number ot declaratory
statements to be presented at one time
by the agent, said.
Abundant evidence has been fur
nished that the department. agents have
advertised extensively for powers of at
torneys for soldiers authorizing them
(the attorneys) TO locate lands in the
Cheyenne and Arapahoe country. Some
of these agents have received as high as
1000 powers of attorneys to locate lands
under soldiers declaratory statements.
Many of these locations, IL is alleged,
MI I.. 10 10 a1l
lative purposes. The proposed rule was
made for the purpose of protecting the
soldiers who might be personally present
at the land office. His rights might be
seriously invaded by permitting one
person acting as agent % secure an adj
vanccd position in the line and through
him the filing of 100 10 900 claims. COW
ering large portion of the desirable
land, while the old soldier Immediately
in the rear Of such agent would be com
PEELED 10 take what might be left or buy
from the agent at such price rs his
cupidity might dictate, rclinquish-
mcnt of one of the claims which the
agent had succeeded in capturing. In
other words. it is the purpose of the de
partment to prevent persons accom-
plishing more 10y their absence than
they could accomplish by thcirpresencc.
1T is the purpose Of the department
TO give 30 these old soldiers who have
collected in large numbers and who are
honestly seeking a home an opportunity
10 obtain good tract of land ON at
least an equal basis with the agents !
who have industriously advertised for
powers of attorney, and are now pre-
pared 10 cover all the desirable land in |
the coded country 10 the exclusion of
those persons who have appeared in
their own proper persons TO exercise /
I hsit- RIGHTS sf