The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1901-08-25

snow ana everybody OuSnI 10 De SdIlS-
fed. Where 10000 registered appli-
cants were after 1900 claims it is but
natural that there should be thousands
OF disappointed persons. And many or
these are more or less inclined to find
fault. Some of them assume highly
moral attitude and rail loudly against
the governments conducting a lottery,
while most of them would not hesitate
to take chances on the various wheel
and card games which prevail here. 1t
is probable that not one in ten of the
thousands who came here had any
other thought than that of taking a
long shot at the few big land prizes
which they hoped to get by drawing
early numbers, thus ena bling them to
have first choice of claims. and these
who lost ought not to complain. The
people who came here stalking their all
In the hope of getting quarter section
of land upon which they expected to
make their home, and failed to draw a
number below 1900, are entitled to
sympathy. but they have no reason TO
complain of the method of conducting
the allotment. Had the same plan been
pursued as at former allotments, they
would have stood less show of getting
a claim than now. for the ''sOoners"
and boomers" would have rushed pell-
nell across the border and by sheer
force gobbled up the whole tract.
1t was the purpose of the government
to distribute 1900 quarter sections to
that number of needy home seekers in
line with homestead policy. which has
been very beneficial in devefoGing the
west. and furnishing at nominal rates
lands of the public domain to actual
settlers. In so far as possible dnder
the circumstances this has been done
In this instance, and when the claims
are all proved up and the undesirable
element. which was naturally attracted
by the allotment, has drifted away,
think it will be found that there has
been added to the population of the
territory a large and desirable body of
permanent settlers who will honestly
develop the land with which Uncle
Sam has supplied them. That is the
thing In which Oklahoma is principally
interested. What the territory. which
1t is hoped may soon become state.
wants is good. useful and thrifty peo-
pie, who GENE with the honest pur-
pose of making homes and filling the
lands.
Under this allotment hundreds of
women were enabled to secure desir-
able tracts of lard, a thing which
would have been impossible If the
'sooners" and '"boomers" had had their
own way. At the drawing places there
were booths for women. and many of
them drew early numbers and got good
claims. No married woman or any
under age. however. could register. the
purpose being that only one claim
should go to any one family. But
there were few notable exceptions in
allowing married women to register
For instance. one woman came to the
booth wheeling an invalid'S chair. In
1t was her husband, whom she had to
support. On these grounds she was
allowed to register. Another woman
AdteAy ulNOTCeu dSheu 10 TcSlSIeF, Dul
was disqualified because her divorce
had not been granted long enough.
But" she said, what am | to do? |
have been married six times, and every
man Of them was unable to support
me. l want to get farm and make
my own living" She was allowed to
register.
The work of filing on the claims is
now going on in both the Lawton and
FL Reno districts. and this will con-
tinue for 60 days. Undoubtedly large
portion of the 1900 who draw pum-
bers emitting them to file on claims
will not exercise their rights. While
those familiar with the country say
that most of the claims are good
enough for Improvement by real home
steaders. there are thousands that are
not good enough to warrant a man Civ
ing up position or business to move
thereon and make Improvements. The
result will be that thousands drawing
claims. especially those with numbers
higher than 1905, will not file on their
land. They feel this way: Suppose The