Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1910-08-18
PROTEST AGAINST
GOVERNMENT POLICY
IN LAND DISTRICT
Governors of Two States With
Senators Formulate State
ment to President.

Huron, S. d.. Aug 16.-The confer
ence here yesterday afternoon of the
governors of South and North Dakota,
Senators Gamble and Crawford, Con-
gressmen Martin, p. d. Norton, of Het-
finger, N. D., and Logan Berry, OF
Lennon, the last two representing the
commercial clubs in the Lennon land
district, resulted in decisive action in
protest over the conditions brought
about through the withdrawal OF zoo
townships in the district from entry.
Delegates Are Named.
p. d. Norton and Logan Berry were
delegated to present to President TAFT
the following statement:
We have today been in conference In the
city of Huron upon the urgent request or
II commercial and homestead clubs OF the
Lennon land district In South and North
Dakota to consider the serious nature or
the situation in which the homesteaders
are placed in that district, in part as the
result of the recent order of the depart
ment of the date of July q, 1910, and the
executive order of July Z, Withdrawing
from entry, sale and disposal certain lands
in said district and other districts SINH
larly situated
The situation from the standpoint of the
homesteaders is really critical. Droughts
have prevailed during the present season,
resulting in widespread crop failure, caus-
ing many more settlers than otherwise
would have done so to offer communication
proof in order to obtain prompt title to
their lands. Action upon several hundred
of such proofs had been delayed hereto
fore in the department and now, since the
PRONUNCIATION of the executive order re-
ferred to the local officers have adopt
ed the practice of suspending all home
stead filings and proofs until definite in
structions should be issued by the inferior
department as to the scope and effect of
the orders referred to.
Conclusions Set Forth.
We have considered the various acts OF
ND nrl9 great
care, and as result make the following
suggestions and recommendations:
l. That neither the order of withdrawal
nor the law under which it is made i'm
pairs the rights of bona fide homestead
settlers. Such settlers have full right to
make communications, proof and entry
and to receive patent promptly unless
their lands are classed as coal lands or are
protested as containing coal, in which case
they can accept patent reserving the
coal to the United States or can have OPP
portunity to disprove the allegations of the
coal character of their lands and insist
upon a patent without reservation.
z That lands embraced in lawful home
steads initiated prior to the date of the
order of withdrawal are expressly except
ed from the force and effect of the with
drawal order by the terms of the conserva-
ton act of June Is, 1910, and are in no way
affected thereby; that there is no author
ity or justification for the suspension of
acton on communication proofs upon such
homesteads, but they should pass prompt
try unless tainted by fraud or other ir-
regularity.
3. That it is manifestly unjust to bona
hde homestead settlers to suspend action
on their homestead proofs II they are will
ing to accept the limited patent with coal
reservation, as provided in the act of June
~, 1910. 1t is also unjust to delay acton
indefinitely on final proofs protested for
the alleged coal character of the lands
Hearings should be provided promptly in
such cases, in order that the nature of
the patent in each case may be ascer-
tanned with the least possible delay
4. That all final or communication home
stead proofs where protests have been
made solely on the ground that the land
contains coal and the homestead settlers
have filed consent to accept title with the
coal reservation, should be released inn
mediately from suspension and be passed
for examination and approval for patents
As there are several hundred cases of this
charecter said TO be under suspension we
earnestly suggest that this recommends
ton be especially considered for immediate
action
5. We recommend also that the classic
cation contemplated by the presidents
withdrawal orGer OF July T. 1910 should be
made with all possible speed and that an
adequate force for this purpose should be
put into the field Immediately
Very respectfully,
John Burke.
Governor of the State of North Dakota.
r.. s.. Eessey
Governor of the State of South Dakota
Robert j. Gamble
United States Senator, South Dakota
Coe l. Crawford
United states Senator, South Dakota.
Eben W. Martin
Representative, South Dakota
Delegate Commercial and Homestead
clubs, North Dakota.
Logan Berry.
peiesate commercial and Homestead
clubs, South Dakota.