Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1904-04-22
THE LAND LAWS.

BY typographical error in last
weeks issue of the Inter Ocean in an
extract from another paper, it was
intimated that Senator Hansbrough
was opposed to the communication
clause of the homestead law an5 was
urging its repeal. The fact is other
wise, as will readily appear from the
senator's speech on that subject in the
Inter-Ocean of April s. 10 further
infolm the rea ders of this paper, the
principal features of the homestead
law, the communication clause thereof,
the timber and stone act aud the desert
land act are here referred to.
The homestead law proper requires
a residence of five years, after which
the entryman may obtain title With
cut payment of any sum except the
final entry fec of 81.
By the, communication clause the
settler may after fourteen months
residence, of which the six months
after entry are constructive resi-
dence, making the actual residence
eight months, obtain title on pay
ment Of $1.25 an acre
The timber and stone act permits
citizen or person who has declared
his intention to become such to OBJ
tain not more than 100 acres of land
unfit for cultivation but valuable for
timber or stone. The applicant must
file affidavit according to the act, and
have notice issued at once and at the
end of sixty days on proper proof
may obtain title on payment Of $3.50
an acre. A married woman may file
on timber or stone lands.
The desert land act allows person
to file on $40 acres of desert land Ito
be passed On by the commissio on cry on
payment of IS cents an acre Gown
making Improvements to the extent Of
81 an acre each year for three years,
and have water conducted on the same
and 80 acres in cultivation, and pay
ing 81 an acre on making proof.
1t will be seen that the section
proved up under the desert land act
costs the entryman So. 72O in improv-
ments and government price. Besides
the improvements must have resulted
in the irrigation of the land ard the
cultivation of one-eighth thereof.
This is the only provision for irri.
cation under private enterprise. The
repeal of the act would result In dis
couIaging such ent srprise and in
opening up a good market for railroad
lands IN the arid region.
The timber and stone act seems to
be the only one under which vast
areas of land may be obtained by
spectators without any settlement or
improvements. Under this act large
corporations might secure an army of
entrymen to file and make proof Of
the quality Of the land and take title
and convey same to the corporation
in sixty days. No establishment of
residence or abandonment of business
or worry about crops in this case.
Senator Hansbrough opposed the
repeal of the Communication clause and
of the desert land act. In the course
Of his remark in support of the COM
mutation cla-se in the homestead act,
he showed how the syndicate favoring.
its repeal had lobby at the capital
and spent $50, 900 a year supporting
the lobby and the bureau favoring the
repeal Of all the land laws but the FIVE
year homestead law. This large sum
was contributed largely by railroads
having vast areas Of land grants and
which would suddenly rise in the
market If the desert land law and