The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-05-09
SOLDIERS RIGHTS.


TOPEKA, Kan, 1898.
To the Editor Of the Eagle.
| again find myself in Topeka in COM
pany with the balance Of the committee,
attempting to finish up our doodle" IN
vestigation. There was no money APP
propriated TO publish the testimony taken
by the committee, only provisions were
made for our report to be made to the
senate at its next session. 1t strikes me
that the people should chip in and have
the entire testimony pahished (as taken
down by the stenograptser) in pamphlet
form and distributed i'll order that every
body could read the report and form
their own opinions.
On this day twenty-five years ago the
writer landed in tEis town. Excuse me
i do not aim TO tell you what has
taken place since, but suffice it TO say
no state in the Union has made III the
same length of time more progress than
our grand state of Kansas, and L am
glad to say will continue to progress. L
did not intend, neither have | time 10
write an article, my object Is simply
this. | have been asked and received
several letters from old soldiers IN
reference to their rights in taking land.
The presidents proclamation states that,
rights Of all honorable discharged
Union soldiers and sailors shall not be
abridged" The information they desire
is what are our rights:
Gentlemen: You will find below your
rights summarized as taken from the re-
vsed law of the United States statutes
of 1878, from section 1904 to 231S,
which / think covers all the ground. L
have taken this from volume 10 second
session of the Forty-seventh congress,
known as Miscellaneous Documents,
of the public domain, therefore it Is en-
tirely reliable, and which is as follows:
SOLDIERS HoMEsTEADs.
(See circulars of December -, 1882.
and February Is, 1888, pages 1920 and
1921, amendatory of thls.)
u. A Union soldier or sailor of the
late war is entitled TO deduction from
the five wears of the length of time mot
exceeding four years. OF his military SER
vice. But the soldier Tor his widow, as
the case may be- must actually reside on
the land at least one year before final
proof can be made.
%. In case of the death OF the SOL
der, ana the death or re-marrlage of
the widow, the minor children of the
soldier, by duly appointed guardian,
are entitled to the privileges of the
father.
% Neither the guardian nor the
minor children are required to reside
upon the land, but the same must be
cultivated and improved for the period
of time during which the father would
have been required to reside upon the
tract.
a. THE soldier may file declaratory
statement for tract of land which he
intends to enter under the homestead
laws. The fee is 50, except III the Pacific
states and territories. here the lee Is So.
.. This statement may be hled either
personally or by an agent. and the
soldier is thereafter allowed SIX months
within which to make his entry and
commence his settlement and improve
ment.
%. The entry can be made only by
the soldier in person at local land
Office, and he must commence his settle
ment on the land within SIX months
after his filing, and must continue to
reside on the land and cultivate 1t for
such period as. added 10 his military
service, will make five years But he
must actually reside upon the land at
least one year, whatever may have been
the period Of his military service.
q. Entries can not be made for
soldier by an agent or attorney
-. After a declaratory statement
has once been fled, whether by an agent
or otherwise. the soldier cannot ME
again His rights are exhausted by the
/ first fling, and if he does not, within SIX
months, make his personal entry at the
land Office and commence his settlement
as required by law, he obtains no right
10 the land.
20 \ soldier'e homestead declaratory
statement for tract OF lana does not
prevent anybody else from max
ing an entry Of the same land, subject
to such rights as the soldier may &C
Quire by virtue of actual residence on
the land and full compliance with law.
/ Ii tk, soldier does not establish has rssI-
/ deUce on the tract as requlre4, the mex
( conner may take the land.
30 Soldiers are not entitled 10 land,
nor 10 bounty land warrants, Tor their
/ military service in the late war, nor can
+ title 10 land be obtained for them By
agents or attorneys. All representation
; TO the contrary are false, and soldiers
and sailors are warned against lmposl-
tiou by parties who offer - locate land
for them, OF TO sell their rights.
I Yours respectfully,