The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1901-04-12

ed and claimed the same tract at al
most the same instant. each honestly
believing that he was the prior claim
ant. Last Saturday q contest Of this
sort was decided by the secretary OF
the Interior whea three claimants with
their respective families had been liv-
ing upon the same tract and prosecut-
ing a land contest for eight years. IL
either had ceased 10 live on and cult
vate the land his claim would have
been lost, 80 all three complied with
the law. The one who wins by the
secretary's decision has dearly paid for
the land, and the others have given
eight years OF their lives to fruitisas
litigation.
Two commissioners Of the general
land office. OF opposing politics, and
two secretaries OF the interior, of like
difference in party associations, recon-
mended that when further lands should
b. opened, congress should enact lawE
20 prevent the unseemly rush which oc-
CURED at these openings and to avoid
the almost endless litigation. Con-
gress. al the recent session, took the
view that former Objectionable methods
ought not 10 be repeated at the Kiowa
and Wichita openings. The horse rae
ing plan was generally condemned
Different plans were suggested by con-
gressmen, but the one generally favor
ed, and especially advocated by Rep
resentative Lacey OF Iowa, chNirman
Of the public lands committee, and Dy
Representative Stephens OF Texas, is
the method by which the seats In the
house of representatives are allotted TO
members at the beginning Of each con-
gress. The names OF the members are
written upon separate slips OF paper,
which are so folded that the names
cannot be seen. The slips are placed
in box and mixed and then drawn
out one at a time, the members max
ing a choice OF seats in the order in
which their names ere drawn. Every
representative has an equal chance OF
obtaining the first choice. When con-
gress took up the Kiowa and Wichita
openings there was not, however. suf-
ficient time TO permit any particular
plan OF drawing TO be agreed upon. 30
Il was determined to amend the bill
In such a way that the president In
his proclamation, could prescribe the
manner OF the opening, thus giving am
pie time for the interior department to
bates upon the bill clearly show that
congress desired 20 do away with the
old plan and substitute 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
land questions. IL is significant that
nearly all Of those propose a drawing
or casting OF lots. A minister OF the
gospel is among those who advocate
a drawing. He prefers II TO a horss
race, especially where the race has no
better umpire than the discarded idea
that might makes right" 1t has in
terested the officials to note how this
minister anticipates and avoids n cit IL
cism which might be made In some
quarters to the effect that a drawing
would be sort OF lottery and objec-
tionable 20 those who do pot believe
in anything which savors OF chance.
After pointing out that by this plan
tie unsuccessful applicant pays moth
ing and the successful applicant only
gets a chance TO earn the land by fully
complying with the law In the matter
of payment. residence. cultivation and
Improvement. the minister summons
the Bible TO his support and shows that
Moses distributed the land Of Canaan
by lot and that Matthias was selecte'