The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-02-12

Dy men who are on the ground and
are familiar with the situation, and
these are fair samples of the others.
Hon. M. F. Murphy, a banker and
business man of Grand Forks, N. D.,
writes me under date of Feb. 1st In
part as follows:
Il have read in the paper the order
that it has been stated has been Is
sued by the president on January Is
relative to proofs on land. No doubt
there has been a great deal of fraud
in proofs covering timber and possibly
mineral lands, but, after an expert
ence of thirty years in this country,
l know positively that there has been
but very little fraud in connection
with proofs on agricultural lands, and
think there has been less during the
last five years than any previous time.
From what know of the President,
believe his intentions are the very
best, but l am satisfied that he has
not fully considered the conditions in
connection with the lands in this
state. If his order is to stand it will
be impossible to make any final
proofs in the state of North Dakota
between Nov. 18th and April 18th, and
this would work a great hardship on
large percentage of people living In
the western counties Of the state. Peo-
pie who take claims are almost uni
versally poor people. l know when
took my claim had less than $500
hp,f1f Iox
thirty acres broken up when 1 proved
up, and several times walked from
Fargo to the claim, although it was
eighteen miles across country, with
out any road or any stopping place.
This is true of thousands
of others with a like experience, and
feel that people who are making an
honest effort-and about all home
steaders are making an honest effort
should not be l1ampered too much
by our government. In a large ma
jority of cases, the people living on
claims are obliged to prove up Just
as quickly as possible and get money
on their lands with which to continue
their operations and to buy stock and
machinery
T. E. Fox, receiver of the land Office
at Minot, n. D., writes me under date
of Jan. 3Oth in part as follows:
"Mr. James Dwyer the special
agent of this district-who, by the way,
is very competent and efficient man
is simply swamped with work His
district extends from Devils Lake to
the Montana line. 1t is impossible
for him to do more than one-tenth
of the work, and large number OF
cases have been held up for investi-
cation for the last two years and
there has never been a hearing on
them. The circular order of the Pres
ident, dated Jan. 25th, 1907, is very
bad thing for this country at this
time. On account of lack of agents,
as above stated, to make the proper
investigation, all proofs will be held
up until spring. Even if there were
enough agents, it would be impossible
to make the proper field examina-
tion."
No doubt the issuance of the order
will serve as check upon those who
otherwise might evade the law, but
the number of homesteaders where
land is valuable enough to encourage
contests. who 'serve the evil purposes
of corporations and syndicates," is
very small. You will observe that
Mr.. Murphy says-and truthfully too,
that under this order 'it will be i'm
possible to make any final proofs In
North Dakota between Nov. 18th and
April 18th" 1t is during the winter
months that the majority of home-
steaders make their proof. You will
recognize the utter impossibility OF a
special agent, or any one else, making
personal examination of each 100
acre tract of land during the winter
months when the ground is covered
with snow and when drive across
country can scarcely be undertaken
mate. Moreover, the humble tar-paper
home of the homesteader is not likely
to impress the average special agent,
who is more familiar with the COM
forts of steam-heated hotels than he
is with even the best of farm houses.
The order referred to should be
withdrawn as to homesteads, specially
in these states along the Canadian
border There are thousands of home
stead proofs now pending in these
northern states. Receiver Fox shows
that in the Minot district, one of the
largest in the United States, there is
but one special agent to do the work,
"and he cannot do more than one
tenth of the work." Many of these
proofs have ibeen pending for two
years. The order as to personal ex-
animation of separate tracts by special
agents will add immensely to this
number of suspended proofs.
Aside from the protests quoted
above, my own personal knowledge
of the situation leads me to appeal
to you to avoid making the life of the
American homesteader more disagree
able than it necessarily must be. even
under the most favorable climatic con-
ditions
Very sincerely yours.
H. G. Hansbrough.
Honorable Theodore Roosevelt.