The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1904-09-03
REGARDING FINAL PROOFS.

REGARDING FINAL PROOFS.
Letter From a Special Agent Of the
Government Explaining Recent In
structions Regarding the Making Ct
Proofs at County Seats.
The following letter from a special
agent of the land department, Wash.
ington, D.. c., explains itself:
Bismarck, N. D., Aug. rs. 1904.
Hon. Register and Receiver, U. s.
Land Office, Bismarck, N. D.:
Gentlemen: 1t has recently com
to my notice that the changes in the
methods Of taking proofs in cases of
homestead entries are attributed to
you, either severally or collectively,
and that political capital is made
therefrom by parties inimical to your.
selves.
Permit me to take this opportunity
to state to you, and for purpose Of
publication if you deem such step ad-
visable, that neither Of you had the
slightest connection with the changes
or recent orders.
Space and want of time preclude
me from going exhaustively into de-
tails in reciting the origin Of the new
order of things, so far as the same is
known to me, and l merely desire to
state that the present course Of pro.
cedure was practically prescribed by
a circular of instructions dated Jan
uary 25, 1904, issued by the commits
sioner of the general land office at
Washington, D. c., with the approval
Of the honorable, the secretary of the
interior. My failure to carry the pro-
visions Of said instructions into force
and effect, merited me a severe repri.
mand at the hands of one of my i'm
mediate superior officers, and in con.
formity to mandatory directions a
schedule for dates Of proof before Of
ficers other than yourselves was pre-
pared. Under said schedule, as you
are aware, three days were accorded
to each officer authorized by law to
take testimony in case of proof, but
in order to enable me to be present
at the time and place Of taking the
anne a question Of accessibility of
place and transportation facilities
arose and had to be given serious
thought and consideration. The coun-
ty seats of the representative coun-
ties under my territorial jurisdiction,
appealed to me as the most likely
places to meet the requirements, near
ly all of them having railway facilities.
Besides the county officers authorized
by law to take proofs having their
respective Offices at the county seats,
and the United States commissioners,
under their appointments from the
federal court, being required to main
tain Offices at such places, what better
place than the county seat could pos
sibly have been selected as the place
for the parties to appear? The selec-
ton was not made because of any
personal convenience to myself, for l
pride myself upon the fact that my
past record and conduct has sufh-
GENTLY demonstrated that personal con-
veniences in the performance Of my
official duties has eve governed a
single one of my actions, but because
of the ex%pediency attending the selec-
ton.
Under date of July 2, 1904, the
| schedule Of dates for proofs before Of
ficers other than yourselves was sub
mitted by me to you for your consider
alton and such action thereon as
should appear to you most appropri-
ate, guiding myself in said action to
work with you in perfect harmony.
With your letter Of July IL, 1904, the
schedule was returned to me with
your disapproval and aso eeor your
actions fully and in detail set forth.
Having failed to obtain your concur
renee, with letter dated July IA, 1904,
the schedule, together with your letter
of objections and disapproval was
transmitted by me to the honorable,
the commissioner Of the general land
office, who, by his letter Of July %,
1904, informed me as follows:
81 have your letter of the 14th in
slant ~inclosing a schedule Of dates
for proofs before officers other than
the local officers in the Bismarck dis
trict. You state that on submission
thereof to said officers the same was
disapproved by them for reasons
stated in their joint letter of the 18th
instant which you also inclose. You
now submit the matter for c%onsidera-