The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1903-10-23
THE LAND LAWS.
An Effort Being Made to Knock
the T. and S. Law.l

editorial IN the Duluth Evening Her.
aid, in our opiuion, is somewhat mis-
leading, inasmuch as it is In direct
opposition to the spirit of the timber
and stoue law and somewhat in the
nature of boost to the holders of the
scrip. The Herald says:
Commissioners Richards of the
general land Office will recommend
In his foIthcoming report, in the most
forciable language that the present
laws in relation TO the taking up of
government land be most radically
changed. Twenty-Five years ago con-
gress passed an act to encourage the
settlement of the Western section Of
the country. Vast forests areas were
found to the west and north of the
Mississippi, and in order to induce
pioneers TO go West, clear this land
and establish homes. the government
agreed to sell it for $3.50 an acre.
That law has remained unchanged on
the statue books ever since, and now
big syndicates are gobbling up what
is left in the way OF timber tracts
worth 500 and upwards an acre,
paying the nominal sum eXacted a
quarter Of century ago.
commissioner Richards realizes
that the original intent of the law
is not being observed and has resorted
to every means in his power to head
off the wholesale appropriation of the
forest lands by saWmill and lumber
syndicateS. He has held up great
many claims for land patents in an
endeavor to prove collision between
the claiments and lumber companies.
His efforts have merely had the effect
of stimulating .Of filing of entries,
which have lately surpassed all pre-
vious records. The spectators evid-
emily fear the early repeal Of the law
and are hurrying TO get their claims
before it is too late. Commissioner
Richards is resorting to every legiti-
mate scheme to delay the issuing of
patents, hoping to save some of the
comparatively few remaining tracts
for the benefit of those persons to
whom the law was originally intended.
st is evident that the govern
ment is giving away for a mere song
millions of acres of valuable timber
lands, and rapidly decreasing the area
of vacant public domain. The annual
report of Commissioner Richards
shows that during the past fiscal year
the government disposed OF 1874 $50
acres af public vacant land, realizing
therefore the sum of $10,5 ,018. But
the significant part Of the report is
found In the chapter relating to tim
Der lands. The number OF acres Of
this kind sold was 1,765, 222 and the
receipts were $4,4l3,911. During the
preceding year the amount of timber
lands disposed of was less than one
third the area sold during the past
year. The way the business of taking
up land of this character has increased
ment that the entire amount of tim
Der land sold during the twenty-five
years Of operation Of the law is less
than 1000, 900 acres, of which nearly
1000 900 acres were claimed that
year."
In the first place the Herald, in our
opinion, is mistaken in its cOnten-
tion that the timber and stone law
was made to settle the lands west and
north of the Mississippi. The entry
man in making his application to pur-
chase these tracts from the govern
ment at $3.50 an acre, swears the land
is ''more valuable for its timber and
stone than for its agricultural pur-
poses' and the testimony later at the
hearing tends to prove he cannot use
the same for agricultural purposes.
Should the testimony prove that the
land could be sused for agricultural
purposes, purchase at $3.50 an acre
under the stone and timber act is out
of the question.
The spirit in which the act was
framed was to get rid of same of the
lands unfit for cultivation, and in
making the law several very undesir-
able provisions were incorporated.
The purchaser is supposed to buy from
the government this land, ''more
valuable for timber and stone than
for agricultural purposes" at $3.50 an
acre. One of the provisions under
which he makes the purchase is that
he shall not sell, bargain or otherwise
convey the said land to anyone, but
shall buy it for his individual use
with his own money, and under oath
must state where he secured the cash.
The government, however, failed in
one thing in framing the act and that
is: What will the ordinary man do
with the land after he buys it? He
cannot eat the valuable" rocks nor
trees, neither can lie build saw-mill
and saw lumber. If he sells, he comes
in contact with the law and if he keeps
it, lie has several hundred dollars in
vested ILL something he has no use for
and cannot dispose Of.
If the government feels that it can
not make a living at $3.50 an acre, let
it raise the price. The timber and
stone law has done its duty. The
United States has gotten rid of much
of land which is.considered worthless
at fair figure, and many a poor man
and woman have realized few dollars
by being enabled to take these lands
and disposing of them to some lumber
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