The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-13

ment of the grants to have been ex-
cepted from or not needed for the
grants. and afforded relief by allowing
them to purchase such lands from the
United States.
In accordance with this act in. 1896,
even before the claim Of the railway
was set aside by the government, the
archbishop presented his claim to the
government for the purchase Of the
residue of the $4,000 acres, and the dis
tr1ct land officers were directed by the
Washington land department to notify
Archbishop Ireland to come forward
and submit proofs of his rights to re-
lief under the law of 1887. Testimony
in this matter was taken yeSterd ay in
Ortonville. Mimi, and other testimony
to like purport will be taken on Jan,
19 at Wheaton.
During the last year or two, a num-
ber Of persons believing that the rail-
way claim would fail, and thinking
thus to secure title to the lands, went
upon or filed applications to enter near
ly all Of the lands embraced in the
Ireland contract, occupied or unoccu-
pied, jumping" not only the claims CT
the archbishop, but those Of actual
settlers who were in possession by
authority from him. Many Of those
who had purchased from Archbishop
Ireland, fearing that he might not be
tbplC ~ pIOlCCl lHcIIl, anu Wishing TO
do what they might to protect them
selves, and some who had been led by
the advice Of land attorneys to believe
that they could defeat the archbishop's
claim, Joined the professions to the To-
cal land offices and filed applications
for entry; some under settlement laws
and some under the relief act of 1887;
thus 1t is made to appear that nearly
300 settlers claims are involved in the
archbishop's application, while. as a
matter of fact, none of those who are
purchasers from him will suffer in the
least, should it be found that he is en-
titled to purchase the lands, because
their contracts with him are of such
a character that performance can be
enforced Immediately upon the ac-
sQuirement Of title by him.
The lands were withdrawn for rail-
way purposes in 1869, and from that
time to October last were in reserva-
ton, and not subject to settlement and
entry, nor to disposal of any kind, ex-
cept for the purposes of the railway
grant.
These are facts which were we'll
known. and the persons who, under
such circumstances, settled upon any
portions Of the lands did so for the
purpose of acquiring precedence and
hoping to gain advantage over law
abiding citizens who have quietly
dWdIlep the dcIlOH Oh the ldnQ auLnOr-
tiles. They have taken risks with
their eyes wide open, and are in no
position to complain should their VEN
lures fail
All the colonists who went on the
lands under the agreement made by
the archbishop with the railway COM
pany are protected beyond possibility
of disturbance, and these colonists COM
prise all the actual or bona fide set
tiers. A large number of them, having
previously exhausted their homestead
rights, have no means of protecting
themselves except the archbishops
agreement with the railway company.
They have made valuable improve
ments which are coveted byS the pred
atory adventures who hoped to reap a
harvest in one way or another out Of
the situation. In the meantime the
genuine settlers are not worrying over
the outcome.