The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-01-02
WOULD REVISE LAND LAWS.

If the recommend tions of the presi.
dent are favored by congress, there
will soon be several changes in the
land laws. A disinterested view of the
stu ation compels the admission that
existing laws, or the methods OF ad-
ministering them, have resulted in the
acquisition of large areas of land I'M
der circumstances contrary to those
contempt ated by such laws, and it will
be acknowledged that new legislation
upon this subject is desirable and
necessary. In a message sent to con.
gress a few days ago, the president
discusses the situation in part to this
effect:
The developments of the past year
emphasize with increasing force the
need of vigorous and immediate &C.
ton to recast the public land laws
and adapt them to the actual situa-
ton. The timber and stone act has
demonstrated %conclusively that it's eff.
feet is to III ove the public timber
lands to great corporations. 1t has
done enormous harm, it is no longer
needed, and it should be repealed.
The desert land act results so fire..
quently in fraud and comparatively
seldom in making homes on the land
that it demands a radical amendment.
The provision which permits assign
ment before patent should be repealed,
and the entrymau should be required
to live for not less than two years at
home on the land before patent issues.
The Communication clause of the home
stead act serves, in a majority OF
cases, to defeat the purpose of the
homestead act itself, which is to ia.
cilitate settlement and create homes.
Actual-not constructive-living at
home on the land for three years
should be required before commuta-
ton, unless it should appear wiser to
repeal the Communication clause alto.
gether.
These matters are more fully dis
cussed in the report of the public
lands commission, to which | again
call your attention.
am gravely concerned at the eX-
tremely unsatisfactory condition of the
public land laws and at the prevalence
of fraud under their present provi-
sions. For much of this fraud the
present laws are chiefly responsible.
There is but one way by which the
fraudulent acquisition of these lands
a be definitely stopped, and there.
fore | have directed the secretary of
the interior to allow no patent to be
issued to public lands under any law
until by an examination on the ground
actually Il compliance with hat law
has been found to exist. For this
an increase of special agents
in the land Office is urgently required
otherwise bona fde wouldbe settlers
will be put to grave Inconvenience OF
else the fraud will in large part &C
on. Further, the secretary OF the in
terror should be enabled to employ
enough mining experts to examine
the validity of all mineral land claims
and to undertake the supervision ant
control of the use of the mineral land
still belonging to the United States.
Many of the existing laws affecting
rights of way and privileges on pub
lie lands and reservations are illogi
cal and unfair. Some work injustice
by granting valuable rights in per
petuity without returns. Others ten'
to protect the grantee in his posses
sion of permanent improvements mad
at large expense. In fairness to tn
government, to the holders of right
and privileges on the public lands
and the people whom the latter serve
| urge the revision and enactment o
these laws in one comprehensive act
providing that the regulations and tn
charge now in force in many case
may be extended to all, to the en-
that unregulated mOnOpolistic con
troll of great natural resources ma
not be acquired or misused for privat
ends.