The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-03
Mr.. Walker on a. Bad Law.

THE Journal is indebted to MI.
T, B. Walker for an interesting COM
munication in defense of the stone
and timber act and the Communication
clause of the homestead act, the
abolition of which = is now sought
by persons interested in preserving the
public lands as much as possible for actual
settlers and users. We can not pretend
to have the practical knowledge of this
subject that a man of Mr.. Walkers long
successful experience in the lumber bust
ness has.
Our remarks of the other day on this
subject were general, and we had none OF
Mr. Walkers operations in mind in that
connection, and not knowing anything
about them would not presume to discuss
them In our reference to raids on the
public forests by means of the stone and
timber act we did not charge that illegal
use was necessarily made of the act, when
one person or corporation comes into pos
session by transfer Of title Of a great num-
Der Of stone and timber claims. The for
| ests are raided, whether legally or Illegally
and regardless of the purpose Of the law.
| It may be that there is as little fraud
| In these matters as Mr.. Walker infers
from his own experience, but there are
witnesses for the other side. Only the
other day we heard of party Of men
being collected by wealthy lumbermen to
| proceed to Idaho and take up stone and
timber claims in his interest. In this as
in so many similar cases it would be diff
ficult to prove fraud but every one OF
those men commits perjury when he dis
poses Of his land to the lumberman, and
that person is an accessory to the crime.
The stone and timber entryman swears
that he does not apply to purchase the
land on speculation, but in good faith to
appropriate it to his own exclusive use
and benefit, and that he has made nc
agreement or contract by which the title
, Of the land shall inure to the benefit OF
any person except himself. This is pretty
broad, and while not reaching Mr. Walker
would probably leave many of the entry
, men who have sold their lands to claim
: purchasers, with load upon their con
sciences.
1 The land commissioner says, and w
t agree with him:
The effect of this law has been to dis
) pose Of property worth $40 to 500 pc
acre to spectators at the insignificant
> price of $3.50 per acre. Immense tract
s Of the most valuable timber land, wllic
4 every consideration of public interest de
manded should be preserved for publ
z use have become the property of a fey
G individuals and corporations. In many in
: stances whole townships have been en-
;, tered under this law in the interest of on
person or firm to whom the lands hav
IS been conveyed as soon as receipts for tn
e purchase price were issued.
e It seems as if this might be called raid
+ ing the public forests.
The raids on timber lands by means {
r mining claims, stone and timber claim
III and the homestead act, as well the rai6
N on grazing and agricultural lands, ,brougl
L, out , by Colonel Moseby,s operations 3
1T Nebraska, all go to demonstrate that u
r. time has come when all persons havir
IS at heart the best interests Of the who
" people must exert themselves to preser'
re for themselves and their children II