The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1903-12-18
SURELY GOING.
The Communication and Timber
and Stone Acts Doomed Sure.

| The days Of the timber and stone
and the homestead laws are numbered
and the MINER recommends that all
those who wish to avail themselves
of their communication and timber
rights had better get move on them
and secure claim before the laws are
repealed, or be forever barred from
using anything but their homestead
rights.
For years the papers Of the country
have entreated the overcrowded settle
ments in the cities to come into the
northern woods and make themselves
homes from the free lands offered by
the government. Only Of late years
have any amount of settlers come to
the extreme north, and we can safely
say they are as happy and as comfort
ably fixed as is possible. TO the COM
mutation and timber and.stons laws
are their condition traceable.
They made good farms of their
homesteads, put in their timber, then
took up a timber and stone claim,
sold or logged that and always invest
ed their returns in what they needed
and now they are independent far
mers or loggers whom the depression
in iron does not touch. The poor
people have reaped the benefit from
these laws.
| The stone and timber and the COM
mutation homestead laws will surely
be repealed just as was the pre-emp-
tion law in 1891 and all that will be
left for the honest home maker will
be the homestead law with its five
years of continuous residence, hard
ships and hard work.
Whether the repeal Of these acts is
actuated by honest motives or simply
to give the timber monoDOllsts a
better hold of the public domain, we
are not prepared to say. One thing
however is certain, those who are
familiar with the conditions in
Northern Minnesota can see no excuse
for the repeal Of the acts as intended.
If a man can secure enough money
to commute his homestead and secure
title in fourteen months we see no
reason why he should be compelled to
live five years on claim And il he
can raise money enough to buy tim
Der and stone claim at $3.50 per acre,
he should be allowed to do so. The
government gets what they deem
| value for their land. II the p;ice is
too low and the government is losing
money. the only thing we can see is to
raise the price. This cry of fraud is
all bosh and is raised by holders of
scrip and hold-up artists, known as
special agents who prey on the.timber
and stone and Communication pur-
chaser with trumped up charges in
order to hold their jobs and get what
little handouts the poor fellow is able
to give
The probabilities are that alINthe
arguments to be produced in favor OF
these acts in the northern and western
states will do no good, as it is a fore.
gone conclusion the laws will be re-
pealed. The president in his message
to congress has sounded the warning,
and all those who still have their
Communication and timber and stone
rights had better use them. The pre-
sident says:
Experience has shown that in the
western states themselves, as we'll as
widespread convection that certain of
ing administrative practice no longer
meet the present needs. The
character and uses Of the remaining
public lands differ widely from those
OF the public lands which congress
had especially in view when these laws
were passed. The rapidly increasing
rate of disposal of the public lands is
not followed by a corresponding in
crease in home building.
"rhere is a tendency to mass In
large holdings public lands, especially
timber and grazing lands. and thereby
TO retard settlement. / renew and
emphasize nay recommendation of last
year that so far as they are available
for agriculture in It's broadcast sense,
and to whatever extent they may be
reclaimed under the national irriga-
tion law, the remaining public lands
should be held rigidly for the home
| builder.
"The attention Of the congress is
especially drawn to the timber and
stone law. the desert land law, and
the communication clause Of the home
stead law. which in their operation
have in many respects confllcted with
wise public land policy. The discus
sion in the congress and elsewhere
have made it evident that there is a
wide divergence of opinions between
those holding opposite views on these
subjects; and that the opposing side
have convinced representatives OF
weight both within and without
the congress; the differences being not
only as to matters of opinion but as to
matters of fact.
"In order that definite Information
may be available for the use of the
congress, Il have appointed a COM
mission composed of w. A. Richards,
commissioner Of the general land Of