Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1892-08-13
THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE.

of the operations of the general land
Office for the fiscal year ended June 30,
1892, was made public to-day. A care
full reading of this report says Commits
sioner Carter, will demonstrate that the
liberal and just policy towards the set
tiers upon the public domain, adopted
by Secretary Noble Mt the beginning OF
this administration, has been produc-
tive of very satisfactory and bene6cent
results.
| l felt justified in predicting in my annual re.
port OF last year that with the force then At
| command the business OF this bureau would be-
| brought up abreast with the current work by
| the end OF the fiscal year Just closed. 1t Is
| gratifying 10 me now 10 be able 10 report TO
| you that literal fulHllment OF that prediction
| has been fully contaminated In order that
the magnitude OF the work done during tho last
fiscal year may readily be comprehended and
the results accomplished fully appreciated
feel warranted In referring to and discussing
briefly the policy that governed and controlled
the business OF this ONCE under the last admin
lsiration from 1885 TO 1889.
Commissioner Sparks, in his animal report
for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1883, said:
AT the outset OF my administration was con-
fronted with tho overwhelming evidence that
the public domain was being made prey OF UNI
scrupulous speculation and the worst forms OF
land monopoly through systematic fraud car
ried on and contaminated under public land
laws"
He further stated in the same report, in dis
cussing the subject of commuted homestcads,
that tho proportion Of fraudulent entries
of this kind could be moro nearly esti-
mated at the whole number OF such en-
tries than in any other manner; that
tho average proportion Of fraudulent pre-
emption filings 10 the total number OF filings
made and relnquished should be esti-
mated in round numbers at exactly 100 per
cent and that 90 per cent. Of oil timber culture
entries were fraudulent. Having become wrong
fully imbued with the idea that nearly oil, or at
least very large proportion, OF entries made
upon the public domain were fraudulent, and
that the great body OF we'll disposed settlers
were INSCRIPTIONS spectators, 1t Is not sur
prising that Commissioner Sparks on April 3,
1885, issued an order suspending action on all
entries except on certain scrip locations ana
on private cash entries) in the whole OF Colo
RADIO except the Ute reservation and In all OK
Dakota Idaho Utah, Washington. New Mex
leo, Montana Wyoming and portions OF Kan
sas. Nebraska and Minnesota.
The detrimental effect OF this ana other
similar sweeping orders and OF the mistaken
impression and policy which prompted them,
uton the business OF this ONCE was very
great and as q consequence this administra-
ton on assuming the reins OF government In
1860, was confronted by d land ONCE greatly
demoralzed in all its ramifcations Unjust
ice or denial OF Justice under the machinery
of the law was its dominant feature. The
settler who had honestly and laboriously and
nj much hazard and heavy expense complied
In good faith with all the requirements OF the
laws outraged and Indignant Ut the multiplex
injuries inflicted on him by administration
demanded patent title 10 the land he had
by settlement, cultivation and compliance with
the law fully earned Thus by reason OF this
erroneous and mistaken policy the legitimate
channels OF business in this ONCE had become
clo.ged and by reason OF wrongful delay vast
amount Of work had accumulated. there being
at the close OF the fiscal year ending June 20,
1885, 3509j3 entries OF oil kinds pending or
awaiting consideration. Under these circum'
stances change OF policy was deemed neces'
sary. Hence. shortly after March T. 1889 anew
administrative policy, based on liberal ana
enlightened Interpretation Of the public land
laws was adopted by you and has been con-
tinued during the intervening fiscal years
Under this new policy settlers are presumed
TO be honest and well disposed toward the
government and laws, and public business has
been expedited with marked beReticent results.
On March g. 1891. o law was passed entitled
IAN act 10 repeal the timber culture law ana
for other purposes" in which congress mani
tested its approval OF the new policy Under
and by virtue Of section OF that law large
numbers OF cases long suspended on the merest
suspicion OF fraud or under harsh technical rul'
lngs, have been and IRE being passed to patent In
q manner which. while greatly facilitating bust
ness, also supplies ample safeguards against
oil possible fraud.
In virtue OF this marked and beneficial
change OF policy and under the favorable leg |
islation mentioned, the large number OF ac- |
cumulated entries above stated, together with
an addition OF Sis,Ole entries, received since
the present policy was inaugurated, had on
June 80 1892 been carefully considered and prop
er action taken thereon.
Comparative tables accompanying the
report show an excess during the four
fiscal years ended June 80, 1892, over |
the four years ended June 80, 1883, in
the number Of acreage of agricultural
patents issued of nearly 145 per cent,
substantially clearing the docket and
leaving the Office on July 1, 1892, vir-
tually free to attend to current business
assit arises. As to mineral and coal
patents, the report shows an excess, |
under a similar comparison, in the
number of mineral patents issued, OF
9s per cent, and in the number Of coal
patents issued of 224 per cent, |
clearing the mineral and coal
dockets and passing to the peo-
pie and states and nation millions OF
permanent wealth. During the period
from 1889 to 1899 there were 8, 49I, 1896
acres of the public domain surveyed as
against s,715,SO2 during the preceding
four years. During the last fiscal year
the cash sales according to the report
aggregated 1871, ATS acres, the principal
item of which was 01S,79 acres which
were entered under the presumption
law. The total acreage disposed OF
during the year was 1904, 0l9 Three
thousand two hundred and forty-two
mineral site patents were issued during
the year, as against 1,7s2 during the
IL. hnf