The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-10-21
HAN" HAS IA A BILL
The North Dakota Senator Has Ideas
on the Subject Of Land
Legislation.
Explains Why He Favors Changing
Instead Of Repeating
the Laws.
From Tho Journal Bureau, Room As, Post Build
ing, Washington. 5sf

From, The Journal Bureau, Room, As, Post Build.
ing, Washington.
Washington, Oct. 21.-Senator Hans
brough Is preparing bill for intro
duction when congress convenes pro-
viding 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 a bill introduced by Sena-
tor Quarles of Wisconsin, providing
for the absolute repeal of the desert
land law, the timber and stone act
and the COMMITTED homestead law. By
a majority Of one this bill was or
dered reported favorably, Senators
Bard and Nelson; Joining with the dem
ocrats in favor Of repeal. Senators
Hansbrough, Clark OF wyoming, Heit-
field. Kearns, Gamble and Burton
agreed upon a minority report, and it
is upon the showing in this report
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 i making Of final
proof. Under the present law the en-
tryman cannot be the owner Of $40
acres of land acquired under any oth-
er act or acts. He must pay the gov
eminent and expend5 in improvements
in the three years which must elapse
prior to the making OF final proof a
total of $4.25 an acre. This means
a total cost of $3.50 for desert
claim and makes the land more val
liable for agricultural than for graz
ing purposes. The frauds which for
long series of years have been free
~ charged grow out Of assignments
by entrymen to individuals or corpo-
rat1ons seeking large tracts for range
purposes. Thus a. small number of
men have been enabled 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 suff-
GENTLY near by to- make his improve
ments. Failure to comply with the
law will invite contest against the in
d1vidual entryman. Under present
conditions, where l. the big cattlemen
have secured control Of large areas,
there, are no settlers or intending set
tiers to bring contests. If the original
entryman is compelled to give the land
his personal attention for three years,
ne will be obliged to make his home
there. This means settlement and
| cultivation with the same results as
are now obtained under the original
dve-year homestead law. - 80
Timber and Stone Act.
Under this law the entryman in
too many instances does not even see
the land. He offers his filing at the
local land office, pays $3.50 an acre
Tor 100 acres, and may at once as
sign his right. This enables the lum-
er.klng to secure ownership to val
liable timber lands at minimum cost.
Senator Hansbrough's bill will BRO
vide for an examination and estimate
or the character and Value OF the tim
ber&by department agents, and after
due notice, the stumpage will be Of
1ered TOR sale to the highest bidder.
Inc Dill Will also fix price below
Whlch the timber shall not be sold.
Ihe senator thinks that an absolute
repeal Of the law would put a sudden
check to the numbering Industry and,
prlng about an advance in the price
or lumber. Moreover, his investiga-
tions show that almost from the be-
ginning it has been found impossible
TO establish system under which our
plnerles could be disposed. Of in small
holdings and kept out of the clutches
OF combined capital. He cites the re-
suits of efforts In this direction in
Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota,
and says the only equitable method.
II numbering Is to go on and keen pace
with other industry, Is to compel those
VINO acquire government timber to
pay Iull value for it. He thinks it
would be we'll to provide that not more
than $40 acres shall be sold to any
single individual or corporation.
The senator holds that the COM
muted homestead law has been a great
boon to the western settler and it
should not be repealed. The cry of
"fraud"-so easily uttered, but so
seldom proved-hasy 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 17O,000,OOO acres. Only
IA paS cent Of this has been disposed
of under all the laws which the radi-
cal Quarles bill proposes to repeal
I'm round numbers the figures are as
follows: Timber, and stone lands,
100000 acres; final desert entries
3,42S,0OO; committed homesteads, IA
687,000; five-year original or final
homesteads, 70,333,000; state selec-
tons for educational and public pur-
poses, lI,3o4VOO; railroad grants
patented, 52,2S0,O0O; wagon road
grants, 1, 122,0o0; swamp lands, 9,747,-
900. .... ~. -. - =.
''These figures, says the senator,
"are worthy Of close scrutiny. Allow
ing 100 acres for each person, the
number of homestead commuters in
the United States in twenty-one years
is less than $4,000. A commuter is
one who elects to pay the government
| $500 in cash at the end of fourteen
months residence and cultivation In
| the same period of twenty-one years