The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-08
WILL OPEN MORE LAND
LITTLE LESS THAN 100000 ACRES
FOR HOMEsTEADERs.
Calculated That They VIII BE Settled
Upon by I1,8OO Families OF Five
Persons Each--Indians Get
Money.
Advertiser Burau.
Colorado Building.


Colorado Building.
rft Washington, June 2. q
More homes for white folks and more
money for Indians the government is
going 10 seek to bring about within
the next few weeks. Valuable tracts
of land >aggregating a little less than
100000 acres are to thrown open to
homesteaders. They embrace rich for
ests sections and fertile farming lands.
1t is calculated they will furnish homes
for 1900 families or five persons each,
or $4,000 people.
The prospective homes and farms are
scattered through the States of Mime
sofa, the two Dakotas, Montana and
Oregon. Some of the land will be sold
at straight price per acre, with a lot
terry feature to determine choice of
sites. while many OF the reservations
will go under the hammer to the high
est bidder. Corporations and land
grabbing syndicates are to be barred,
there being a strict limit of $50 acres
for each applicant, with a forfeiture
provision for those detected acting for
or selling out to combinations or corr
porations.
Not few new features will attend
the opening of these lands. In the
first place they will go at higher pric-
es than have heretofore obtained. For
years the government has been dispos-
ing of valuable tracts of timber, min
eral and agricultural lands at nominal
rates Some has gone for as little as
$1.25 an acre, while the most paid for
vast areas of coal fields and forests
has been $2.50 an acre. Many millions
of acres have gone at these absurd
prices. Commissioner Herman. in ais
last report. estimated that the Govern
ment had in this way lost at least
$40, 0OO, 900 on forest lands alone.
In consequence of the agitation
against this sort of thing in the late
session OF Congress the prices of gov
eminent lands will be increased. The
1850, 900 acres of Indian lands now to
be thrown open will, IL is believed, with
few exceptions. bring 81 an acre or the
sale does not go.
Unlike most former sales the prop
erty next to be sold is not public land
1t belong to the Indians and Is to be
sold on their own account. the gov
eminent conducting the sale.
Land openings in the past have been
on reservations that formerly belonged
TO the Indians, the government buying
It in order to provide homes for set
tiers. The custom has been for the
government to buy the lands outright
from the Indians and then turn 1t over
to the home seekers, depending for
reimbursement upon the proceeds OF
the sales. But this object has been in
variably defeated by the passage Of
free home laws" by Congress. In a
great many instances acts have been
passed relieving settlers from the pay
ment of balances on their claims, and,
as the government was the only loser,
there was nobody to offer serious OBJ
lection. With the tracts about to be
opened a different course will be pur-
sued. Uncle Sam will merely act as
the sales agent of the various tribes to
which the several tracts belong. ANY
proposition that may be made in Con-
gress to adopt free home laws will be
met with the statement that the prop
erty in Question belongs to the Indians
and not to the Government. and that it
cannot be given away. This will in
sure the full payment of every claim.
The Indians whose lands are to be
sold will not be crowded entirely off
their reservations. The government
has seen to 1t that a tract has been re-
served for every member of each tribe.
The funds derived from the sales will
be kept in the Treasury to the credit
of the Indians and will be doled out In
regular annuities.
r. II. Watkins