The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1907-03-21

to final certificate or approval Aspt
unOn the renort of field officer

to final certificate or approval except
upon the report of field officer.
You will instruct local officers that II
is equally their duty to facilitate the
| issuance of final certificates to bona ffde
| settlers. as to guard the interests Of the
! public and the Government in prevent
ing Illegal entries, and that, in the per-
Torrance of their duties, they will be
held to strict account for the exercise
of sound discretion and good Judgment.
1t Is expected that registers and receiv-
ers in their respective districts will OBJ
tain knowledge of the general character
and quality of the public land over
which their jurisdiction extends, and in
the disposition of cases before these
officers they should make use of such
knowledge. either in aiding the entry
men or in preventing an Illegal entry,
as the case may be.
In accordance with the conferences
which we have had. you will at once
take such action as - necessary to so
organize your field and Office force,
either by way of redistribution or con-
centra.ion, as win make it possible to
most effectually carry out the order of
the President.
All regulations or instructions in con-
fiict herewith are revoked.
Very respectfully.
The Commissioner of the. General
Land Office.
This order is one of unusual import
ance to the citizens of the public land
States. involving as it does about 3d.
900 entries and large number Of Ioca-
ulated in the General Land Office at
Washington pending examination be-
fore the issuance of patents. Included
in these are about 10000 homesteads,
1000 timber and stone and other cash
entries made under specific laws, 1000
desert land and SOC mineral entries.
To bring the work up to date the
clerical force of the General Land Of
flee working over time will be employed
fully ten weeks. To further expedite
the work, the Secretary of the Interior,
on recommendation of the Commission
er Of the General Land Office. has ex-
tended the Office hours of the General
Land Office from 4:30 to p. m.
The arrearages in the local land Of
fees throughout the country will be dis
posed OF as expeditiously as possible,
the Secretary having issued orders to
redistribute and concentrate at once the |
field and office forces upon the prose-
cution of this work in the portions of
the public domain wherein the conges-
ton Is the greatest. In addition the
local land officers have been directed to !
allow final certificates to issue on the |
large number of proofs pending in their
respective offices. These officers will
at once consider and pass upon all final
proofs for lands with non-mineral areas.
and will allow final certificates thereon
IN the absence of protest or objection.
The order of the Secretary contem-
plates no relaxation of vigilance on the
part or the Government in preventing
Illegal acquisition of the public domain.
1t Will bring relief, however, to many
thousands of deserving entrymen, but
pliers no encouragement to unlawful
ilinss. The order does not affect coal
and areas. but these will be covered
by subsequent order and
directions
Because of the failure Of Congress toI
provide an additional appropriation for
he necessary field inspections, the work
annot proceed as rapidly as desired, q
tut the force and means now available
will be used to the utmost limit to eX-
'edite the patenting of lands where thet
ntrymen have complied with the law {
n good faith.