The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-04-05

washington, March. s1.-To The
Forum: There Is a decided change
In handling land matters since the new
administration has taken the helm.
One thing that strikes me as being Of
the greatesN importance is a, disposi-
ton OF do exact Justice to persons en-
tering public lands. while holding all
l to strict compliance with the law.
There was time. not very remote.
when an agent sent into the field to
| investigate was expected to make cas-
es, and If he made favorable reports in
Etco many cases his services in the field
were dispensed with. Agents are now
instructed to report the facts exactly
! as they are. and that their standing
| will not depend upon the number OF
unfavorable reports they make.
| All the entries in North Dakota
suspended on account OF coal have
now been restored to the channel lead
ing to patent, excepting those In the
| following towns: In WilIiston district:
town 152, range 95: towns 163, 154.
and 1876, range 100; and towns 154
and loo, range 101. In the Dickinson
and Bismarck districts towns 140, TAI
and 142, range 101; towns 1s6, 1877,
13s. 140, 141 and 142, range 102; towns
1SS and lao, range 1903: towns 1873,
lS4, 1S5, 1876, 1S9 and lao, range 1O4,
and towns 1913 and 1875, range los. In
these towns the burden Il on the gov
eminent to show that the lands are
MORE valuable for coal than for agri-
cultural purposes, and an inspection
of each claim may be necessary in
| these towns before the entry can pass
the patent. If they are in fact chief
/ " valuable for coal they should be
\ entered under coal land laws. other
I wise the nearly two million acres
/ withdrawn from the market have been
/ restored.
! While showing liberality in that re-
spect the enforcement of the law In
relation to committed entries have be-
come very strict. Actual residence
now means personal presence on the
land for practically the whole period
| required. No more counting service
as clerks in a postoffice. railway mail
carriers, or other official positions as
residence upon the land in committed
homesteads goes, nor does prolonged
absences teaching school or working
to make living These things may
go on five year proof. unless alb.
sence became the rule, but to com
mute now requires fourteen months
presence upon the land. A Fargo par
ty recently proved up showing that
his wife refused to live with aim or
the land: that he lived on the land
''as much as he could" that his duties
4 called him away. travelling in Mime
sofa and North Dakato, and he could
not be on the land more than once a
month in summer and not at all in
winter. He was really no better of
than the man who was absent or
short business trips, not explaining
that his short business trips were from
Duluth, where his family resided, in.
stead OF from his claim near Harvey
/ which he never visited but three times
The craze for acquiring land under
| the timber and stone act is now over
/ The new regulations now require the
timebr to be appraised and those pur-
chasing must pay the full value oil
i the timber. No more land for $2.5(
per acre with timber worth $4,000 tt
I $1,000 per quarter section. Uncle
AESamuel has certainly killed the goose
i that laid the golden egg for the lum-
4 bermen, but he waited entirely too
Il long. And the coal lands, in the Goa
states, are no longer sold at $40 t.
i $50 per acre, as before, regardless Of
the value OF the coal. They are ex.
amined, and classified, and appraised
according to the value OF the coal de.
/ posits.
With Mr.. Ballinger secretary OF the
interior, and MIR. Bennett commission
er OF the general land Office, there are
two practical western men at the Of
affairs. They know conditions In the
i west and are disposed to encourage
development on lawful lines.
i Among the large force of new agents
Il being put into the field Is Charlie:
Hamel OF Grafton. He was clerk or
4 tn public lands senate committee some