The National tribune., 1893-01-12
THE Cherokee STRIP.
Regarding the Filing OF Declaratory Stat
ments Through ATTORNEYS.


ments Through Attorneys.
The circular referred to by the comrsds
whose communication follows has printed ~
the head the letter head of Oklahoma, Post Ne.
1, of Oklahoma City, and is signed By John A,
Clark, Adjutaut:
SAN ANTONIO. Tx, Dec. o. 1907.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The iDeIossd
circular letter was addressed to and received By
me few days ago. number of other G.. Ar
comrades in this city have also received copies,
and IL is evident that the sender has obtained
rosters Of the three GAR. Posts Of this city.
This circular is misleading old soldiers III
am laboring under msappreheBsion I will
feel pleased to have you correct me; il not. your
views published in THE NATIONAL TRIsUNa
would be Of great value to the old soldiers aud
no doubt duly appreciated by them.
That this is a scheme or q business adventure
purely in the personal interests Of the sdysr-
tiser, John A. Clark, is undeniabls. He usss
the offieial letter head of Oklahoma Post. No. 4.
GAR, and bis official position as Adjutant Of
said Post, TO advance bis own personal business
interests, in violation of the laws OF the GAR,
which act does not inspire me with condolences
in the man, whoever he may be.
Now let US see. He says be charges 1872 for
each filing; g Of this is TO pay the United
States fee and $40 is to pay the expense Of
looking up the land. locating corners, and tho
many other expenses attached thereto" I
would now ask how far $40 would 20 toward
defraying Mr.. Clark's exp enses if he fulills the
promises made by him in his circular? As do
not believe him to be philanthropic million
aire. nor person who intends to shorten his
own cash account by the scheme, / can see bus
one method for him 10 como cut even, namely,
to sit quietly in the United States Land Ofics
with map of unclaimed land before him,
select $50 acres at time, and obtain hlingre-
ceipt for each by paying 81 and locate the
f.f n Nv sfI = inn pina in .
says in his circular: I 90 in person and per-
sonally select each and every tract of land, aud
see that every old comrade gets lust such land
as he wants"
If the promise contained in the las. para
graph is fulfilled. Mr. Clark will prove himself
possessed with supernatural powers There
can be no doubt that he will furnish the fee
receipt for filing from the Land Office, a shs
other $40 is dependent upon it; but Of uhas
earthly use is the fling on a piece Of land I'M
less the party is prepared TO fulfill the require
ments Of the U. S. Land Office laws? j regret to
say that there are, comparatively speaking bns
a very few old soldiers who are able financially
and physically to do so.
As l understand it, any person who was In
the service OF the u. s. Government during the
late war, and was houorably discharged there.
from. can select 160 acres out of any unclaimed
lands belonging to the Government, by fling
upon and locating upon said land and he 10
each and every year until he receives . patsns
from the .. s. Government for said land five
years, actual occupancy and improvements are
required from all persons locating homestead,
except that person who served under the II,
8. Government during the late war, and who
was honorably discharged from the service,
will have his term Of service deducted from
the fve-years clause. For instance, II sol.
der served two years In the army during the
late war, the Land Department. would issue 10
him the patent for the land at the expiration
of three years, providing all other requirements
of the land laws have been fulfilled; and he Ia
not only obliged to make affidavit, but obliged
to obtain two or more neighbors TO state under
oath that he has occupied and improved said
land for three years past, pursuant to his
obtaining the patent. Before he obtains the
patent the land is not ia reality his, and he
cannot legally dispose Of il to another party.
Six months from the date of fling on a tract
of land is allowed before actual settlement
thereon. and unless the land is settled upon,
and the required improvements made inside Of
IL months, the land then reverts to the q. 8.
Government, and can be fled upon again by
any other party. If soldier files on 160 acres
for himself, he also file on 80 acres for
each of his sons, If he has any, but the sons
filing is subject to the full fve-year clause,
there being no reduction in time for his fathers
service during the war.
If said John A. Clark is competent to attend
to such business he certainly is aware Of the
fact that nobody can hold . tract Of Govern
ment land by simply filing upon it. Then is
he not leading the " old comrades" blindly in
TO sending him SIP to file on $50 acres Of land
which the soldier may never have the financial
or the physical condition to visit, much less
to settle upon?
Mr.. Clark's "God bless the old comrade and
his family" might possess some semblancs OF
sincerity had he published in bis circular letter
he ADMIR- oufz af fha rad Efafa nd
laws in connection with the homestesding Of
o tract of q. 8. land.
But again, how does he know that ID will b
thrown open to settlement soon, az he states In
,,s circular, when the fact is that no member
of Congress is prepared to make such q state
ment? Suppose it is not opened up in i've Or
10 years, or never opened up? IL IL barely
possibly that it may be opened up in the course
of two or three years. If so. will any claim on
the land in the Cherokee Strip, selected prior
to the opening upos the Strip be Acknowledged
valid by the United States Government
The old soldiers should post themselves fully
upon these matters before they conclude to for
ward the $12. If any of them desire TO risk
the chance in San Antonio !, as Notsry Public
in and for this (Bexar) County, will be found
at my Office ready to make the power of attor-
ney, and to receive the lawful fee for my serys
icos.-ELI MOORE BoGGs.
[Goy Stone. the Commissioner Of the Gen.
eral Land OI1ce, toiO tne EtuLor OF he MA"
TIoNAL TRIBUNE that Comrade Boggs states
the case properly. Any soldier can fs declsr-
atory statement by power of attorney, but he
will have to settle upon the land within six
months and mako improvements, or the land
reyerts to the Government. It may he possible
for the old soldier, however, to sell his rslin-
quishment to the land, if he can find . pur-
chaser. Comrade Boggs states the csse as Ii il,
and unless comrades are prepared to 20 10 ths
"Strip" to settle within six months after ths
filing of the deelaratory statement, they bad
better keep their money in their pockets
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE.
The Chain Bridge.