Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-07-10
JUDGE WITTEN
TALKSTONOTARIES
Explains Rules and Regulations
Governing Opening

ister unless he intended to go upon
the land and follow the plow and TIN
the land. l have been shocked By the
men who register for land at the res
ervation openings. l have seen men
bedecked In diamonds register and
hold up their hand to high heaven and
swear TO the matters contained in the
registration application when they
knew down In their hearts they we're
rommitting the crime OF perjury. The
homestead law Is for the man who
tills the soil---foF the farmers, and
while | may say harsh things it Is my
duty to see TO Il that the provisions
OF the law are enforced. and | intend
TO see that Il Is and | know when /
discharge my duty as an oficer that /
will be on better terms with myself
II not with any one else"
Those were the words OF Judge
Nitten last evening when he was max
ing general address TO the notarles
at the Commercial club instrueting
alem in their registration duties. They
were uttered when he came to that
regulation in the notarIes' Inatruc-
lions pertaining to the oath OF the
person registering which requires
him to state that he applies for the
land not for speculative purposes,
but in good faith as a settler and
that he wants It as a home.
Continuing on the same subject
he said: Il saw at one registration
five prominent railroad men come In
their special car and register for land
in a reservation. when ! knew they
had no more intention OF living
upon II than | have to live upon
some mountain. When ! saw them
/ had a notion TO tell them to go
home and not to stultify them
selves"
The club rooms were crowded
with people who had come TO listen
to Judge Witten. Probably every
notary appointed by him to receive
applications was In attendance. and
he carefully instructed them In all
of the details of the work. and when
he had completed his instructions he
answered a number of questions pro- |
pounded to him by the notaries upon
the different phases of the work. lie
laid particular emphasis upon the
fact that the applicant must make
his application for the land In good
faith-that he must intend 20 be-
come a settler upon II and make II |
his home. and that his application l
must not be for speculative purposes
but that the homestead law was In
tended for the farmer.
Description Il Important.
He then proceeded to show that
II was important that the name Of
the applicant should be written in q l
legible hand. and suggested to the
notaries In order to avoid all trOu-l
BILE In this direction that the name !
be written BY a typewriter He EN-
phasized the necessity OF an accurate
description as this Is the means by
which the officer Identifies the april
cant when he comes to file upon the
land before the land officers, and
showed wherein he might experience
much trouble should the description
not be correct lie further stated
that the only control which he had
over the nOrtaries was that they
must come TO him for the blanks.
and explained that this vas neees.
sary because II Il were not 30 -
notary might take applications and
In the event that the government de-
sire to bring a prosecution for per-
jury On the part OF ary applicant
they might be frustrated because bis
oath vas not taken before an author
ICED ofAcer.
The ~ Cents Not RetAIner Fee.
lie explained to the nOtaries that
they must not post . sign such as
registration once as II might lead /
to the belief that II was a govern
ment once. and people come TO the
once for information as to their
qualification and be misinformed. Hel
stated that this had been the case At
former reservation openings. and
hen be explained to the nOtaries
hat e vas theilr business 70 receive /
frs.s-a - -,