Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1910-04-28
JUDGE WITTEN
ADDRESSES CROWD
COURT ROOM FILLED TO OVER.
FLOWING BY HOLDERS OF
NUMBERS AND OTHERS.
Was Under Auspices OF @. d'A.. Reser-
walton Settlers Assn.

Last evening the court room OF the
city hall was crowded to OVERLOOKING
with ladies and gentlemen, all in
terested In meeting Judge Witten and
hearing what he had to say regard
ing the filing on reservation land,
which event will begin next Monday
morning at the land office in this
city.
The gathering last night was und-
er the auspices of the Occur d'Alene
Reservation Settlers association,
which organization was formed few
weeks ago in Spokane by more than
a hundred who were holding num-
bers on the reservation, for the pur-
pose of protecting the rights and priv
ileges OF its members and to promote
good fellowship and sociability among
all who held numbers in the drawing
and were here ready for filing. The
enrolment of the organization at the
present time is more than three hun
dred. the majority of whom were
present last evening.
The meeting was presided over by
the president of the association, Mr..
William NJ. Mast of Spokane. who
holds number rs, and that gentleman
in short speech introduced Judge
Witten to the large audience. Mr..
Witten was at his best and for an
hour and half held the closest at
tention of the large crowd. He ex-
planned the duties of the homesteader
and of the settlers, and instructed in
the homestead law in its entirely. He
covered the ground so thoroughly
that not person within the sound of
his voice could mistake his meaning
or leave the building not thoroughly
posted in his duties and of what was
Expected of him in making filing
pn the homestead land.
In part Mr.. Witten said:
"The matters that will engage
The attention Of most of you for the
hext three weeks is a very serious
one. that of selecting home, and
foE the assistance of those of you who
Nesire home on this beautiful spot,
making that selection. The re-
narks l shall make shall first be
addressed to the homeseekers, and
econd to the locating agents who
advertise to assist you in making
hat selection of a home.
What is a home? And when
lay the word home / mean tina
brine over which the man or tie
oman who presides over 1t, is a
Monarch. The home in its strictest
sense is the only safe refuge for
Either man or woman; the only har-
Dor into which a derelict may float
with confidence. 1t is the place
where our wives teach fidelity and
virtue to our daughters and noble
pess and uprightness to our sons.
Those who represent the govern
nent, the register and receiver Of
he land once here. have their duty
o perform, a duty to you-and they
Ire answerable to you and to their
lonsciences for their acts. That is
he business that is before us tonight.
I is a very serious business. You
people in this genial west hardly APP
preciate what 1t means: but 1t is
our duty to provide a home for
hose who viii come after You. II for
othing else-and it Is an obligation
ou owe to yourselves and to those
Eho may come after you.
Without dwelling further upon
his part Of the business. ! wish now
o say few words to the locators-
Ind desire to say to you gentlemen,