The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-06-06
UNCLE SANS LAND LOTTERY.

When the government does that
which it prohibits the individual from
doing, there ought to be good reason
for the discrimination. In cases OF
the drawing of public land, that rea.
son exists. In no other way a there
be an equitable distribution of bene.
fits, says the r-Mountain. Only
In recent years has the government
employed the lottery system in giving
away portions of the public domain.
Formerly the opening of a reserva.
ton meant bloodshed, strife and hard.
ship. The prizes went to the feet or
the dishonest, for in the mad rush that
followed the signal that the reserva.
ton was opened, the weak or poorly
equipped invariably lost the race.
Under the system now employed 20
one has an advantage over the other.
The poorest man Or woman has an
equal chance with well.to.do neigh
bors, who under the old conditions
might expect to win merely because
their horses were the better.
The lottery system of land distribu.
ton was devised by w. A. Richards,
commissioner of the general land Of.
flee. 1t was employed with success in
Oklahoma and later for the openings
Of the Rosebud and Devils Lake lands
in South Dakota and Uintah reserva.
ton in Utah. Under the Richards
system the only advantage that oc.
ours to any M is that allowed the
old soldier or sailor, who may regis
ter for the drawings by proxy. All
others must appear in person before
the government agents at q of the
places designated by the president.
Now that q part of the Crow Indian
reservation is to be thrown open for
settlement, Montana may be said to
have an especial interest in the sys.
TEN employed by the government in
the distribution of lands. Announce.
ment is made that the Richards sys.
tenn will be employed in the drawings
for eastern Montana this month. This
means that the distribution will be
effected with perfect order and that
every one who is entitled to benefits
under the law will have an equal
chance with his neighbor.
Many, it seems, have an imperfect
idea OF the purpose Of. 1.-THE law setting
aside a part OF the Grow reserve for
settlement. They speak glibly Of
taking q chance" but in the end
will not do so, as they cannot or will
not comply with the conditions i'm.
posed by the government. Contrary to
belief of many, these Grow lands are
not free, o are all of them valuable.
Of the 1,15O, 900 acres in the coded strip !
not more than 200, 900 are available
for agricultural purposes. Those who
draw winning numbers must take up
their lands under the homestead law
and live upon them the full term re.
quired by that statute. They must
pay 81 an acre for the lands first
selected, which will include the most
valuable tracts. II they choose lands
a government irrigation dis.
trict, the cost OF the canal system will
be borne by them in addition to the
price paid the government. 1t is un-
derstood that the lands included in
the Huntley canal project are not
among those thrown open by the gov.
ernment at this time. If these lands
are included, those who secure them
will pay an amount now estimated at
S26 an acre for the water right in ad-
dition to the 81 an acre for the land
itself.
In any event the land Spectator ia
eliminated and only those who mean
to make homes on the lands thrown
open to settlement will participate in
the distribution.