The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-04-22

demned Various plans We're suggested
by congressman, but the one finally
adopted gave the president power to
prescribe the manner of the opening.
thus allowing ample time for the in
terror department to perfect some ap-
DrOpriate plans. The debate upon the
bill clearly shows that congress desired
to do away with the old plan and sub
stitute some sort of drawing which
would place but one claimant upon each
tract and thus avoid the contests of the
past.
The interior department is now strug-
Cling with the question. Many plans
have been proposed by people over the
country cognizant of the faults of the
old system and interested in public lana
questions. 1t is significant that nearly
all of those propose a drawing or cast
ing of lots A minister of the gospel IS
among those who advocate drawing
He prefers it to a horse race, especially
where the race has no better un plre
than the old idea that might makes
right" It has interested the officials
to note how this minister anticipates
and avoids a criticism which might be
made in some quarters to the effect
that a drawing would be a sort of lot
terry and Objectionable to those who do
not believe in anything that savors OF
chance. After pointing out that by
this plan the unsuccessful applicant
pays nothing and the successful appi-
cant only gets an opportunity to earn
the land by fully complying with the
law in the matter of payment, resi-
dence, cultivation and Improvement, the
minister summons the Bible to his sup
port that the casting of lots or drawing
of lots was resorted to in the distribu-
ton of the land OF Canaan and in de-
termining whether Matthias or Joseph,
called Barabas, should become an apos-
tie.
No plan has been definitely determin-
ed upon by the interior department, but
of those considered that which stands
q of along
the following lines:
There viii be a period of registration
lasting 80 or 40 days prior to the open
ing, during which each applicant for
these lands will be required to show by
written proofs that he Is qualified TO
make homestead entry and actually de-
sires to do so as a means Of procuring
home. If his proof is satisfactory he viii
he registered as a qualified applicant
and given a certificate to that effect,and
he will draw a number which will de-
termine the order in which he will be
permitted, at the opening, to make a Sc
lection of the land The work of regis
tration viii continue until the qualifca-
tions of all applicants, and the order in
which they will be permitted to select
land have been determined The regis
tration certificates will not be transfer
able, and to make the identification OF
applicants complete, so that there may
be no transfers, the applicants will be
can now be utilized at slight cost to the
government. Every applicant will be
required to register in person, excepting
that honorably discharged soldiers may
be permitted to register by an agent,
subject to the restriction that no person
shall act agent for more than one
soldier, and no soldier will be permitted
to register through an agent except up
on clear proof that he actually desires to
obtain a home from these lands by COM
1f0rr
will be ample provision to prevent old
soldiers from being imposed upon
through the Misrepresentation or neg
lect of an agent.
The drawing will be under the super
vision of a non-partisan commission,
composed of men whose high character
is so widely known throughout the
country as to make their control Of the
drawing a guaranty of its absolute fair
ness. The numbers placed in the box
before the drawing commences will more
than cover the number of people who
will apply to register No advantage
will be obtained by being the first to
register, and all will have an equal
chance of drawing the first number
When completed the registration will
show the numbers which are not drawn,
and at the opening they will be disre-
garded. IF Nos. l, 3, and are drawn
and Nos. 2 and 4 remain in the box the
order of selection at the opening will be
l. 8. and 5, as If there were no Nos. and
4 The period of registration will be long
of all applicants. The man VINO regis
ters on the last day will have the same
opportunity of drawing one of the ear
lier numbers as does the man register
ing on the first day Those who draw
the first 10000 numbers at the Kiowa
registration will know that there will be
lands on which their right of selection
can be exercised, and those who draw
the first 5000 numbers at the Wichita
registration will have the same assur-
ance. Those who draw numbers much
in excess Of these figures will know that
at the opening all the lands win be ex-
hausted before their numbers are reach
ed, and that they have been unsuccess-
full Instead of being defeated after a
vexatious contest of several years their
fate will be determined before the Op-
ening.
The applicants will be permitted to
freely travel over and become familiar
with the lands to be opened so as to
qualify them to intelligently and ad-
yisedIy make selection of land at the
opening. The proclamation will prescribe
what persons may make selection on
each day after the opening-as for in
stance: On the first day those who hold
numbers from ! to 800 inclusive; on the
second day those who hold numbers
from 301 to 600 inclusive, and SO on until
all the lands have been selected. The
one who draws No. 5000 will know that
his right of selection must be exercised
on the tenth day, and that it is not nee
essary for him to be present at the op-
ening until then. This plan viii remove
every incentive for crowding or barter
ing for places in line at both the regis
tration and opening.
When the opening begins the person
holding the smallest number drawn has
all the lands included in the opening
from which to make his selection, and
the person holding No. 1900 will have all
the lands to select from which have not
been selected by those holding prior num-
bers. Each day of the opening those
holding, numbers assigned to that day
will make selections in the order of their
numbers, and if. when any number is
reached the claimant does not appear.
that number will be passed and the next
number will be called. and so on. until
the end of that days list is reached.
when the names which have been passed
during the day will be called again in
their order and the claimants permitted
to make selection. those not appearing
then losing the right.