Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1903-10-26
TWENTY-THIRD YEAR.
PROPOSED CHANGE LANDLAWS
Senator Hansbrough's Suggested Amend
ment of the Public Land Laws That Would.
He Thinks, Prevent Possibility OF Fraud.

|
Hansbrough is preparing bill for in
PRODUCTION when congress convenes
providing for some important changes
in the public land laws. He has made
a careful investigation of the alleged
wholesale frauds under our public |
land system. The result is embodied
in a report which he made from the
committee on public lands in cOnnec-
ton with bill introduced by Sena-
for the absolute repeal of the desert
land law the timber and stone act
and the commuted homestead law. BY
a majority of one this bill was or
dered reported favorabiy. Senators
Bard and Nelson joining with the dem
ocrats in favor of repeal. Senators
ansbrough. Clark of Wyoming. Het-
field Kearns, Gamble and Burton
agreed upon minority report, and it
| that the bill which the senator will
introduce will be based The bill will
provide for the amendment of the
desert land act so as to prohibit the
entryman from assigning his desert
right prior to the making of final
proof. Under the present law the en-
| tryman cannot be the owner Of 32O
| acres of land acquired under any 9th
| er act or acts He must pay the gov
| in the three years which must elapse
prior to the making of final proof a
total of $4.25 an acre. This means
total cost of 81, $50 for desert
claim and makes the land more valu-
| able for agricultural than for graz
| ing purposes. The frauds which for
long series of years have been free
ly charged grow out of assignments
by entrymen to individuals or corpo-
rations seeking large tracts for range
PURPOSES Thus a small number Of
men have been able to control the
| situation. and contests have been few.
| BY changing the law so as to prevent
conveyance of right before final
| proof. which cannot be made under
| three years from date of entry. the
entryman will practically be com
PEELED to reside on the land, or sufli-
ciently near by to make his improve
tc n
law will invite contest against the in
dividual entryman. Under present
conditions, where the big cattlemen
have secured control of large areas.
there are no settlrs or intending set
tiers to bring contests. If the original
i entryman is compelled to give the land
Il his personal attention for three syears
4 he will be obliged to make his home
Il cultivation with the same results as
n are now obtained under the Original
4 five year homestead law
Timber and Stone Act.
Under the law the entryman II
too many instances does not even sec
the land He offers his filing at the
local land Office. pays $3.50 an acre
for 100 acres. and may at once as
sign his right. This enables the lum
Der king to secure ownership to val
n liable timber lands at a minimum cost
Senator Hansbrough's bill will pro
II vide for an examination and estimate
of the character and value of the tim
ber by department agents, and afte
due notice, the stumpage will be OF
fered for sale to the highest bidder
The bill will also fix a price below
which the timber shall not be sold
The senator thinks that an absolute
repeal Of the law would put suddel
u check to the numbering industry AM
bring about an advance in the prlc
of lumber. Moreover. his investlga
81 tions show that almost from the be
II ginning it has been found impossibl
to establish a system under which ou
Il pineries could be disposed of in sma
81 holdings and kept out of the clutche
n Of combined capital. He cites the re
suits of efforts in this direction /
Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota
and says the only equitable methot
q II numbering is to go on and keep pac
with our industry is to compel thos
who acquire government timber I
Il pay full value for 1t. He thinks
would be well to provide that not NOR
than 800 acres shall be sold to an
single individual or corporation.
The COMMITTED Homestead Law.
The senator holds that the con
muted homestead law has been grea
boon to the western settler and
should not be repealed. The cry