The Saint Paul globe., 1904-07-17

III BoneSteel, South Dakota, has not, so
Y far, proved a golconda to the
thousands who expected to make their
everlasting fortunes while the registra-
ton for participation in the drawing
for the Rosebud lands was going on.
During two weeks the registration has
been going on. For fourteen days
Bonesteel has been settling down to the
fact that little profit is to be made
off the prospective settler. The thou
sands that were due to go thither and
permit the man who had something to
sell to take their money, did not ma
terialize. The man who came out Of
the east, erected a tower, and offered
to allow the anxious sooner to spy out
the promised land through a telescope,
to the end that he might make the
best selection when his lucky number
came out of the box, is not thriving.
The telescope is rusting on his ball
bearings. The innumerable stocks of
goods that were to be sold at panic
prices are still unsold. There is little
sign Of the boom left in Bonesteel
! Yet thousands upon thousands have
registered and will participate in the
drawing. But Yankton has got the
lions share of the registration. Cham
berlain, Fairfax and Bonesteel, espe-
cially the latter, have been busy be-
yond the expectations of their founders
but they have not been able to compete
with the old territorial capital. And it
is probable that this week, the last of
the period of registra ton, which closes
on the twenty-t third, will see greater
throngs than ever at Yankton, and
Bonesteel will undoubtedly participate
in this influx. Interest is growing
rather than falling off in the drawing
which will take place at Chamber
lain, July %.
The growth of interest is chargeable
to the fact that the provision made by
the government for registration gives
everybody an equal chance. The soon
er and the settler have no rights.
There is to be no mad dash for the
reservation. The registration has been
handled with such facility that the
crowds at no time got beyond con-
troll, either at Bonesteel or Yankton.
And this condition is likely to obtain
to the end, although thousands who
are now coming to understand the con-
ditions under which one may register
will try for one of the 2,400 farms that
are TO De given away.
1t is not to be doubted that thou
sands who might avail themselves of
the chance to participate In the draw
ing do not understand the conditions
under which it is to take place. These
conditions are stated clearly and in
telligently in an article by F. A. Miller
in the Saturday Evening Post and
copyrighted by the Curtis Publishing
company. Mr.. Miller wrote in antici-
patton of the registration, but much
of what he says is of value to the man
who contemplates going to the Rosebud
country this week.
Reviewing the general conditions
among the farmers of the country ana
South Dakota in particular the Post
article says in part:
In the opening of the Rosebud
reservation there will be no picturesque
and chaotic race from the border line
with horses, bicycles and automobiles
as pacemakers. Uncle Sam has tried
this undignified and barbaric expert
ment in opening other reservations and
has decided to submit the question Of
selection to chance rather than to
speed and violence. To those who an
ticipate a mighty rush and a quick
grab for the best lands he will say:
Back to the land office! There will
be no race to-day"
1T is unnecessary to quote the act
of Congress or the Presidents procla-
nation opening the Rosebud reserva-
ton to settlement in order to show
just what must be done to obtain one
of these farms of 160 acres. The clear
est statement of all the rules and quail
ifications comes from the Government
Land Commissioner at Chamberlain,
South Dakota, and is, in brief. as fol-
lows:
None but persons qualified to make
entry will be permitted to register for
the Rosebud lands in Gregory county,
South Dakota.
Qualifications to make homestead
are. Not the owner of more than 160
acres of land in any state or territory;
citizen of the United States, native
born or. naturalized by first or second
papers; over the age of twenty -enc
| years or the head of family; bona fide
| intentions to make entry and comply
/ with the homestead laws of the United
| States for own use and benefit and
| not directly or Indirectly for the use
| or benefit of any other person; has not
since August so, 1890, entered upon
| the public land laws of the United
/ State a quantity of land which, with a
Illegal homestead would make more than