The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1907-02-07
TheSt,ate o D Sx9 99 =
HARDSHIP FOR SETTLERS

Rooseveit's Order to Make No End -
Trouble for Homesteaders.
At the land Offices in North d. skota
has been received from the sec ,etary
of the t;'terior an order i ia, ey
President Roose ..eit. OF which the fol.
lowing is copy:
The White House, Washington. Jan
Is, 1907.
The Secretary of the Interior:
Sir: To prevent the fraud now
practced in the acquisition of public
lands Of the United States. I have tn
direct that hereafter no final ce,titi'
cate, patent. or other evidence of title
shall be issued under the public lana
laws until an actual examination has
been made on the ground by an au-
thorized officer Of the government, but
the following shall be excepted from
the force of this order:
First-An claims which have here
tofore been examined on the ground
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, il such
proof is found satisfactory.
Third-Al 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.
Fifth-Selecticns and entries in
which no residence or improvement
is required by law, when the lands enl-
braced therein are. strictly speaking.
in agricultural districts, or when
their character has been fixed by ill.,
vestigation and classification, made in
accordance with law.
Sixth-Cases of resistance Of pat
ents because OF some clerical error &C.
curing in the patent heretofore is
sued.
Seventh - All Indian allotments
which have been regularly approved
In accordance with instructions of the
secretary Of the interior.
You will issue all necessary instruc-
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 a proof
can go through and be approved for
final certificate, an authorized govern
ment official or special agent will have
to personally examine the land in
question. Imagine at this time, in this
state, government expert shoveling
three feet of snow from 160 acres OF
land to see whether or not the land
was cultivated and cropped the past
season.
1t means that proofs will all have
to be suspended until next summer.
It means further, that q large amount
of hardship is bound to result to those
persons who have lately fled on lands.
and who expected during the carly
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. Certainly
this order means more than even Pres
ident Roosevelt dreamed.