, 1900-07-27
THE SECOND HOMESTEAD BILL.

Recently The Republican printed a
short article setting forth briefly the
provisions of the bill passed by the
present congress providing for second
homestead entry by all persons who
had previous to the passage Of the act
made homestead entry and had COM
muted or for any reason forfeited he
same. At the time the article was writ
ten we were not fully aware that Mr..
Mondell and not Mr.. Bell of Colorado
was entitled 10 all the credit for the
law.
Our congressman has been working
on legislation along the lines followed
by the amendment to the Bell law,
since his first term in congress. His
experience in the general land office
showed him the great benefits to be de-
rived therefrom by the poor people of
the west. Early in the first term of the
present congress he secured a favorable
report on his bill covering exactly the
same ground and was recognized by the
-speaker to call it up by unanimous
consent. Unfortunately a member
from. Wisconsin objected to the con,
sideration of the bill and that Of course,
under the rules OF the house, prevented
its consideration. 1t was afterward
learned that the Wisconsin member OBJ
jected to the consideration OF the bill
through a misunderstanding of its pro-
visions and that he would in
terpose no objection if the bill was
again called up. A promise was again
secured from the speaker by Mr.. Mon
dell that he would be recognized with
in a few days to call the bill up again
About the time Mr.. Bell of Colorado
secured the passage of a bill extending
the time for making proof and pay
ment on the desert claims held by the
Colorado cooperative colony.
This bill passed the house a day OF
two after the objection was interpos-
ed by the Wisconsin man to the consid.
Grafton Of the Mondell bill. In the sen.
ate it was amended on motion of Sena.
tor Pettigrew. This amendment of the
bill by the enate necessitated a con
ference OF the two houses. Mr.. MondelI
was appointed a member of the houss
conference committee and it then oc-
Cured to him that he could secure the
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legislation by having it incorporated
as an amendment in conference. This
plan was agreed to by the conference
committees and the Bell bill, amended
by the Incorporation therein Of the
Mondell second homestead bill, passed
both houses inc is now known rs the
second homestead bill of June 5, 1900
By securing the passage of his bill in
this way Mr.. Mondell avoided the pos.
sibility of again having consideration
of the bill objected to and at the same
time preserved his unanimous consent
credit with the speaker to be used on a
bill allowing travel pay for the Torrey
troops, which was pending.
1t is probable that Mr.. Bell of Colo.
RADIO is much surprised to have his
name connected with the bill, knowing
as he does that Mr.. Mondell is entitled
to all the credit for its introduction
and passage. His bill was simply a 10.
cal measure extending the time fol
making proof and payment on certain
desert lands in Colorado owned by the
Colorado Cooperative colony.
Few people realize the great benefN
to be derived by the people of the west
through this second homestead law
1t restores the rights of fully two.
thirds Of the people who have made
homestead entry in Wyoming during
the past eleven years. The records Of
the land office show that about one,
third of those who make entry make
final proof, the other two-thirds per.
hitting their lands to revert to the gov
eminent.
To entitle a person to make entry un-
der this act, entry must have been
made and either commuted or forfeited
prior to the passage of the act, June
s, 1909.