Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1903-10-26

~ S"oiiS utteieu, Dul SO
seldom proved-has greatly preju-
diced the public, especially in the east.
He presents some interesting figures.
In twenty-one years, from 1881 TO
1902 inclusive, the government has
disposed of 10000, 900 acres Only
IA per cent of this has been disposed
of under all the laws which the rad!
cal Quarles bill proposes to repeal
In round numbers the figures are as
follows: Timber and stone lands.
100000 acres; final desert entries.
3,42S, 900; commuted homesteads A.
6S7,O00; five-year original or final
homesteads 70,333 900: state selec
tions for educational and public pur
poses, 1884 900; railroad grants
patented. 52,2S0.0OO; wagon road
grants, 1,122,000; swamp lands. 9,747.-
900
These figures" says the senator,
9 are worthy of close scrutiny. Allow
ing 160 acres for each person, the
number Of homestead commuters in
the United States in twenty-one years
one who elects to pay the government
5000 in cash at the end of fourteen
months residnece and cultivation. In
the same period of twenty-one years
the number of original homesteadcrs
those who could afford to reside
/ five years upon the land without bor-
rowing money upon it's about 44O
| 900. Thus it will be see that only
tne homesteader out of five has pro
/ ceeded to acquire title under the com
mutation law.
"Honesteaders are invariably per-
sons of small means. or no means at
all With crops failures, sickness and
/ the general expense incident to op n
ing a new farm. frequently day
! drive from points of supply. it is sur
prising that so small a number one
!
title to the land at the end of fourteen
months in order that he may borrow
few dollars. with which to provide tie
actual necessaries of life for his iar'-
ilv and pay the local merchant for
mast accommodations 1t should be re
membered that a crop is not produced
the first year. Under the law the set
tier. who goes upon virgin land, must
build a habitable house. He ,nen
breaks" a portion of the land This
is done usually in April aud May.
Early in the fall when the sod mas
becomes decomposed he plows aSan.
.le following spring he harrows ana
nlants the seed 1t is late IL he tall
of the second year before he has any
, grain to sell The home3teader mus
f., 6s himself without cen, d III
come for eighteen months. dang
which time he is under constant ex-
pense for living supplies for his fam
;lv and his stock and for agricultural
, imnlements This necessitates Dor
, rowing money without security, OF
runnins into debt with the local mer-
chants 1t was this state OF facts, sc
little understood by the pubic a.
large which prompted congress TO en-
act the commuted homestead law
"Iustice to the homesteader, al
, we'll as good morals on the part O
those who are ready to JON IN an.
p clamor against men charged VIII
fraud however vague the charge ma.
be should at least inspire DISPOSE
ton toward honest inquiry INTO ac
tual facts We cannot wholly dlscred
q il our public land system IN an 'h'
, affairs of life men and government
4 must be trusted In this respect I'M
q eeneral land office has some reputa
ton for honest endeavor. WIN
large corps of well trained and wei
a eouipped inspectors and specla
r agents, this bureau vi 'ic
II ment devotes itself continually TO IN
c most rigid administration OF the LAM
laws and during period OF te
n wears, from 1892 to 1902 inclusive
, ont of a total of 1872 commuted nome
, stead entries investigated by spec'a
@ agents on grounds OF eh'rymeh
q fraudulent speculative intent ther
q wore II entries cancelled Durln
II the same period there were % con
. tests inaugurated against homes'ea
:, commuters on charges of speculatlv
intent and of this number nine case
were sustained and the entries car
cel,ed In a recent communication
Il me as chairman Of the committee o