The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1907-02-08
The State Day BY Day
NEWS OF INTEREST.
HARDSHIP FOR SETTLERS.


Reosevelt's Order to Make No End o.
Trouble for Homesteaders.
At the land Offices in North Dakota
has been received from the secretary
of the interior an order issued by
President Roosevelt, of which the fol.
lowing is copy. .x5
The White House, Washington. Jan
, Is, 1907.
The Secretary of the Interior:
Sir: To prevent the fraud now
practiced in the acquisition of public
lands of the United States, have to
direct that hereafter no final certiti-
cate, patent, or other evidence Of title
shall be issued under the public land
laws until an actual examination has
been made on the ground by an al'-
thorized officer of the government, but
the following shall be excepted from
the force of this order:
First-All claims which have here
tofore been examined on the ground
by an authorized officer of the govern-
ment, whose report is found satisfac-
tory.
Second-All claims where thereto
fore an officer of the government 9TH
er than officers authorized to take
final proof, shall have been present at
the taking of final proof to cross-ex-
anime claimant and witnesses, If such
proof is found satisfactory.
Third-All claims where claimants
compliance with law has been estab.
lished by contest or other regular ad.
verse proceedings.
Fourth-Entries which may have
been confirmed by virtue Of any act
of congress.
administrations and entries III
which no residence or Improvement
is required by law, when the lands en-
braced therein are, strictly speaking.
in agricultural districts, or when
their character has been fixed by in
vestigation and classification. made in
accordance with law.
Sixth-Cases of reissuance Of pat,
ents because of some clerical error &C.
curing in the patent heretofore Is.
sued.
Seventh - All Indian al1otments
which have been regularly approved
in accordance with instructions of the
secretary OF the interior.
You will issue all necessary instfuc-
tons to carry this order into effect
This order takes away from the
local officers of all land Offices all
their discretion in the matter of pass
ing on proofs of homesteaders. and
the delay that will result hereafter Is
too terrible to think of-at least such
is the opinion of attorneys who have
been shown a copy Of the above order.
This order means that before proof
can go through and be approved for
final certificate, an authorized govern
ment official or special agent will have
to personally examine tho land in
question. Imagine at this time. in this
state, a government expert shoveitng
three feet of snow from 160 acres OF
land to see whether or not the land
was cultivated and cropped the past
season.
It means that proofs will all have
to be suspended until next summer.
It means further, that large amount
of hardship is bound to result to those
persons who have lately fled on lands.
and who expected during the early
Dpring or present winter to make
proof and borrow money with which
to carry on improvements.
No end of the delay that is bound to
follow this order is in sight, and home
steaders had better make up their
minds to grin and bear it. Certainty
this order means more than even Pres
ident Roosevelt dreamed.