The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-05-06
e.,stor CLARK Of Montana Speaks
an the Subject Of HOmesteads.
laws SHOULD BE ENFORCED
,rrrE SAME sTRINGEEcY AS IN
OTHER CASES.
ls.s.laI corresnondence.)


cations az the disposal Of the people
-,5er the free homes act Senator
,rs-k.s remarks were called forth by
ssbafs ON the proposition to extend
80 homestead laws TO lands about to
10 added 10 the public domain by pur-
gsass and opening Of the Rosebud
agency. South Dakota. In part Senator
clark said:
aRTr President there seems TO he (
considerable misapprehensiOn In the
minds of some distinguished senators
l. fbfs chamber with regard to the
oas-afiars of the laws which are now |
In he statute books of this country .
allowing the acquisition of title to the
,rbff- land. To has been said by sew
laI of the gentlemen who have spoken
mon the question that an sorts of /
frauds are perpetrated. This Is no .
doubt 10 some extent true 7 believe /
there rs scarcely a law enacted by the .
government or by the respective states +
IN which there is not an attempt at /
Haud ia Jhe operations Of the law. But I
re have upon the statute books today /
aw regulating homestead entries. /
ard as 7 understand it. any qualified 4
American citizen can so upon the pub /
En- land and locate $50 acres under the /
i1mestaad law and by a residence Of !
frs years be can acquire title TO it.
These lands that 60 is suggested we I
Han purchase from the Indians. for
Undoubtedly they belong 10 the Indian I
oiay. in most cases. at least, are no /
reception 90 the general rule. As it I
ns been said when the prorlamation /
O. the president shall have been made /
Growing open the lands for public set /
fsUant men may rush there in great /
uuhorg. ! have no doubt that viii be /
ta case because most Of these Indian
binds 1f which 7 have. by personal OBJ /
EratiOn. acquired a knowledge. are /
very valuable for grazing and for ag- /
ru.turaI purposes. But the law re-
a.ng 90 the acquisition Of title by /
tmesteld OF by any other method has /
INST stringent provisions whereby 4
nIi cannot be practiced except /
through perjury and subornation Of /
Witnesses
Perjury Should Be Punished.
Vow. there is remedy for this. /
There is "a penalty for it. and I cannot I
understand why ia the endeavor TO /
secure title to homestead interests I'M |
DIR tho provision we are now discuss /
ing there should be any more latitude
fr the practice of fraud than exists |
tiay under the laws providing for /
homestead entries. I know nothing l
about the operation Of the lottery sys- /
t-m too which the senator from South I
carolina has alluded. but I do believe |
NAT any man OF woman who may be |
privileged t0 make selection OF that /
Find by lottery would have to show a /
proper qualification, just the same as .
Do or She would have to do Off they att /
tempted To- make a location under the /
Jaws existing today
1r President there may be some |
SPECTATORS who would attempt TO To-
cate some of these lands for tn pur- /
pose of selling them 20 Others who I
H.-ht succeed them but If they did /
they would violate the laws of the land /
and chat entry would be cancelled by
l1e general land Office. Practices of /
J1s Kind are occurring, but universally /
lleF ram of accomplishment I have Z
known @ great many entries to be can /
'..ed lor That reason. After the first /
h.ng on location under any of the /
'9'Fe mentioned acts relating to entry /
%. lands on the public domain. the
Is1t of the locator is exhausted and |
any attempt thereafter 90 repeat il /
would subject The Individual to Grim /
INA. prosecution.
There is a part of the Crow reserva- /
ZION in the state of Montana which /
was thrown open TO settlement a few
years ago. the title To- the lands having I
Neen ra'inquished 90 the government bv |
l1e Crow Indians 10 embraces a ter {
il'Iy some five or six miles I'm width |
ana twenty or thirty miles long. lying f.
D.. ''lner side OF Clark's fork Of the ]
l'-a"stone river
That land was living there Just as the /
arl lies iu most of these reservations /
. lIe MHsltch eOuntry-uuculttv |
'ad unused and unnecessary for the .
wants off the Indians TO was thrown
open to settlement and bompsteaders I
,'". Their. and made locations. and /
.t nave made that desert bloom as /
''e rose For fifteen or twenty miles F.
,s...' may go and see the land re-
,. .. and brought under a success /
e.d.. OBJ. cultivation. The most /
=. .t-.a wheat fields and other cereal 1
is may Dee found there fiourishing
t.l They have built up a large and
.t. community. contributing their
a.' {" l1r worlds wealth. I know I
l.s'.tE % number of those people /
.t believe that they represent a
t- oi manhood and Of citizenship as
..-' Do standard as can be found any
.,. 100 this country. OF those men
.al' D know. and an concerning
,o D nave ever heard, and am very
LUNAR WIN that part of the country.
~ I2A un the land in good faith and
nave settled on and improved il
-'..- made 90 worth from SIS to $50 an
Do is true that a number of them
..aI.l their homesteads after two
.l'fa Years. when they became able
,..- ' s' hy selling the products of
.d'ms. but generally II was not
r.. -'E Che purpose of selling ont
.. holdings. but i'm order to- be sure
.. .'-.r titles and have them con-
r..,- 3" as ro know that for their
~. n'.'i0Es upon which they had
~ ~. ling for some years 20 make
aus .'r themselves and their FAM
.-- A.E were able to have a tenure
t5g- "'s permanent and durable TO
Bad for the Indians.
chg, Na. 1Ir President as to the Dur
~ %. these lands from the Indians
So. .+' s.Fsmment of the United
f5-. 7, think generally it is provided
tl. le proceeds shall be applied for
RI. 4-.a.'"ration Of the condition OF
rr...-.. INDIANS. to- enable them to buv
--. .,..-.A. to enable them 20 build rrist
vt-- ana 90 fence their premises
~ lAfre is danger of invasion and
l----.-... useful purposes. IT the gov
s. ---..e... did not purchase their lands
ia .a Do obliged, as it Is now doing
fb,gLa ny Instances. TO pay annuities to
rr-.l ill'ans and to feed them and 20
s.s-.- Them. and really in many in
bets l2 pauperize them. We had
ar 0y Tar give them the implements
r-- 5-.....i1re. and horses and cattle
ua-. ...iinE purposes. and let them
~ OUT a living for themselves.
viii, take it that the money which
ar .t- expended I'm the REIMBURSEMENT
n, t.. l..es To- these Indian lands win