Fergus County Democrat., 1909-03-09
PROVISIONS OF THE
new HOMESTEAD BILL
IMPORTANT MEASURE FOR
WEST SIGNED BY THE
PRESIDENT.

tachcd his signature to the enlarged
homestead, which permits the entry
of 500 acres of land by homestead
ers, thus making it a law. This leg
islation is the outgrowth OF bill
introduced by Senator Dixon, OF
Montana, when he was a member OF
the house four years ago. In dis
cussing the final passage of the leg
islation, in which he has taken ar
active and prominent part, Senator
Dixon said:
"In my opinion the final enactment
of the 800 acre homestead law on
non-irrigable and nontimbered lands
is the most important piece Of lepis-
lation, so far as Montana is con
cerned, that has been enacted during
the Sixtieth congress. | commenced
the agitation for a larger dry farm
homestead four years ago when III
the house, but the introduction OF
640 acre acre homestead bill applicable
to Montan alone. Later Senator
Smoot and Representative Mondcll
introduced similar bills for their
states. Utah and Wyoming, limiting
the area to 800 acres. At the be
ginning of the Sixtieth congress, Is
months ago, ! re-introduced the 64O
acre dry farm bill in the senate, ap-
plicable to Montana alone, which was
favorably reported by the senate
committee on public lands. Senator
Smoot's bill for a 320-acre homestead
with a provision for non-residence
Of the HON esteader, was also report
ed, Montana being excepted from its
provisions, for the reason that | did
not believe we wanted any non-resi-
dent homesteaders in Montana. Mr.
Mondells bill was also favorably re-
ported in the house at that time
There was some objection by eastern
members and some from few of the
western members to the general idea
Of a larger homestead. In order to
overcome these objections and get
unanimity of action among the mem
bers, a conference was held a year
ago, attended by about Is senators
and memerbs Of the house, at which
an agreement was reached on the
provisions of the present law as the
best compromise possible, The pres
ent act permits of non-residence
homesteads only i'll the state Of Utah,
where, on account Of the lack Of
water even for domestic use, it is
impossible for the entryman to live
on the land
''In my Judgment, the enactment of
this law will rapidly ell eastern Mon
tana with new settlers In the ex-
periments with dry land farming ii
has been demonstrated that with a
rainfall of only 10 to II inches, by
cultivating the soil every year be
tore planting, to crop every othe,
year a great yield of all the grain
crops can be had Even with the
32C-acre dry farming homestead the
new settler will not have the same
advantage as did the early settlers
who got 100 acres of land that could
be brought under irrigation
After the present law has scttet
the more desirable lands in the Yves:
the homestead unit should be raisct
to o4O acres to take in the lands 0
less value than those that are avail
able"
The new 32O-acre homestead la,
reads as follows
Be it enacted by the senate am
house Of representatives of the Unit
ed States of America in congress as
sembled, that any person who is
qualified entryman under the home
stead laws Of the United States MAJ
enter, by legal subdivisions, unde
the provisions of this act, in th
states of Colorado, Montana. Nevada
Oregon, Utah, Washington an,
Wyoming, and the territories O
Arizona and New Mexico, 800 acres
or less, Of non-mineral, non-irrigable
unreserved and unappropriated sur
veyed public lands which do not cor
tain merchantable timber, located in
reasonably compact body, and NJ
over one and one-half miles in ey
treme length. Provided that no land
shall be subject to entry under tn
provisions of this act until such land
shall have been designated bv til
secretary Of the interior as not BIZ
ing, in his opinion, susceptible Of su,
cesstul irrigation at a reasonable CO
from any known source Of water SUI
ply.
Sec. 2. That any person applvin
to enter land under the provisions {
this act shall make and subscribe b.
tore the proper officer an affidavit {
required by section 22oO of the R
vlsed Statutes, and in addition ther
to shall make affidavit that the lar
sought to be entered is of the cha
acter described in section one OF tn
act. and shall pay the fees now r
quired to be paid under the HON
stead laws.
Sec. 3. That any homestead entr
man of lands of the character her
in. described, upon which final pro
has not been made. shall have t
right to enter public lands, subie
to the provisions of this act, co
tiguous to his former entry viii
shall not, together with the origin
entry, exceed 800 acres, and residen
upon and cultivation Of the origin