The Lamar register., 1892-10-22
Friends Of tho West.

| ihc scpuoiicau party
Harrison are the friends of the west
Aside from the fact that the homestead
and pre-emption laws were given to the
west by the republican party, every man
in the state, who has during the last
seven years sought to make home up
on the public domain, knows that the re-
publican party and Mr.. Harrison has
been his friend
| What was the condition OF the settler
under the administration OF Mr.. Cleve-
land! He was an object OF suspicion
and persecution, especially under the
| Sparks regime. Because small per-
centage of the entries were fraudulent,
every settler was looked upon with dis
/ trust. The rule of law that every man
is presumed innocent until proved guilty
was reversed. In his report for the year
| ending June Both, 1885, in speaking OF
commuted homesteads, Commissioner
| Sparks said: THE proportion Of fraudu-
/ lent entries OF thus kind can be more
nearly estimated at the trhoie number OF
such entries than IN any other manner
| OF final homesteads he said 'the aver
age proportion OF fraudulent entries
made for years settlement is estimated
at about 40 per cent" All presumption
entries he pronounced fraudulent, and
80 per cent OF the timber culture entries
On April 3, 1885, an order was issued
suspending action on all entries Except
on certain scrip locations, and on pri-
vate cash entries) in Colorado, Dako-
Ia. Idaho, Utah.. Washington, New Mex
| leo, Montana, Wyoming and portions OF
Kansas, Nebraska and Minnesota. While
the order was modified at a later date,
the spirit that prompted it controlled the
| administration OF tho land laws for many
l years.
A new form OF final proof was devised
and adopted, that in addition to being
burlensomely expensive owing to its
great length. was inquisitorial in its char
acter. The questions mean, read between
| the lines, I'VE suspect You OF dishonesty
and the burden is upon you to disprove
it." In addition TO this, large numbers
| OF public land entries were suspended
upon vague and indefinite charges, and
| the entry men were put to riuch trouble
and expense to furnish proof OF their
| good faith. The energies of the depart
nlent we're diverted from customary du-
ties and employed in an apparent effort
/ to discover how to avoid transacting
| public business. As result of the me-
thod and policy which prevailed through
the entire administration Of Mr.. Cleve-
lnnd, there WIS almost a total stagnation
| in that department in Washington. The
business accumulated and piled up there
\ to an extent never before approached or
known. At the close OF the fiscal year
ending June Goth. 1888, there had accu-
mulated pending or awaiting considera-
ton sj9, ,953 entries Of all kinds.
The nmount OF hardship, anxiety, loss
and in many instances suffering, con-
tanned in those figures, only those who
have been 30 situated, can understand.
| That was the condition OF business in
the land department when Mr.. Harrison
was inaugurated. He placed western
man in charge of the dopartment-one
| vho was familiar with the west, and who
was in sympathy with the men and wo-
men who were enduring the privations
and hardships, unavoidable IN the set
tlement of new territories or portions oil
the states. Business methods were ap-
plied to the management of the affairs of
the department, and in two years while
keeping up the current work, all the vast
accumulations, inherited from the ad
ministration Of Mr.. Cleveland had been
disposed OF fairly and equitably, and
patents issued on those entries where
the law had been complied with.
A new form of final proof from which
was eliminated those questions that were
irrelevant and offensive, yet retaining al
that was necessary to determine whether
the settler was acting in good faith, was
adopted. This reduced the cost OF proof:
to one-quarter Of what it was before.
The position of the department to
ward the settler has been entirely re
yersed and now he is presumed innocen
until proved guilty. Under the lane
laws as now administered, the settle
goes upon the public domain confiden
that his claims will be fairly considered
and his title quickly Forthcoming i
he complies with the law. In
stead Of having his claims tied up oil
technicalities, and being obliged to wal
for wears for it to be reached and passet
upon, his patent Is issued in from to
months; and the same business methods
have been applied to all branches OF the
land department