Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1911-06-13
SPECIAL AGENTS
ARE ACTIVE
Report on Abandoned and
Speculative Land Entries
In New Mexico
HELP BONA F|DE SETTLERS
Best Entries Are Thus Made
Available to the Actual
Homesteader.
department Of the Interior.
General Land Office.


Santa Fe, y. NJ. June 10. 1911.
bditor Albuquerque Evening Herald,
Albuquerque, y. NJ.
sir-Ihe following editorial is not
Ell IN your issue of June s, 1911:
The Evening Herald is informed
mat throughout New Mexico at this
ume there are number of land Office
sleuths who are checking up and re.
porting on the homesteaders who
have taken up lands in the dry farm.
| ing sections.
These sleuths, it is said, are jnclin-
ed to be hard on the homesteaders
and are causing them much trouble
in retaining title to their lands. In
many cases indictments will be sought
before grand juries for violation of
the homestead act.
The entire procedure in 50 out Of
100 cases is nothing but rank inius-
uce. For two years past the dry
farmers in New Mexico have faced
great difficulties. They have had lit
N'N - nv iaii III ItUSt eCGtlOuS, anu
many OF them have been forced by
sheer necessity to be rather lax about
compliance with the homestead act.
The spirit and intent of the home.
stead act is to give land to families
that are actually seeking homes. It
is doubtful if one in hundred of our
homesteaders have any other intent
or thought than to develop farms and
make a living on their claims by
building up homes and producing
crops. That they have not succeeded
as well as they would like is no fault
of their own. They are trying hard
enough and the man and his family
who lives on homestead and under.
goes the hardships and deprivations
incidental thereto is entitled to
great deal of charity.
These departmental sleuths have
nothing to do but make a showing for
themselves. They are paid to 60 out
and find defects in the homesteader's
claim. Now and then they actually
discover real fraud and it is right they
should expose it and prosecute the of.
fender
But just at this time when after
long drought the farmer is in
fair way to produce crop on his land
ne should not be prosecuted in any
such manner, and it would be good
idea if the land officials who are
responsible for sending out these
embryo Sherlock Holmes would post.
pone their operations until the farm.
ers have more of an opportunity to
make living from the land and there
by comply with the wording of the
law"
Seventy-five per cent of all adverse
reports on homestead entries in New
Mexico are on entries more than two
years old. are abandoned. and there
mas never been any residence made
or particle of improvements placed
upon said entries. OF the other
twenty-five per cent the entries are
clearly abandoned or intention mani.
tested to hold same for speculation
in the REIMBURSEMENT thereof. No
adverse reports are submitted upon
entries where bona fide attempt is
being made to comply with the law,
and every opportunity is given them
to do so.
All cases made for investigation
by special agent are when com.
plants of citizens of New Mexico are
received or when other reliable infor.
nation is filed in this Office. There
are no cases of checking up of home
stead entries without the making or
fling of specific complaints or infor.
nation, tending to attack the validity
OF same, or the sufficiency of the
with the law.
When adverse reports are made en-.
trymen are served with the charges
and are given an opportunity to an.
ply for hearing to determine the
of such charges by COM
petent testimony. S-s
OF all adverse reports submitted
not over two per cent have applied
for hearing, and seventy-five per
cent of those who do have defaulted
in appearance on the date set for
hearing or have relinquished the
lands back to the United States
Citizens of New Mexico have com.
planned bitterly of the fact that entry
men having lands in New Mexico live
in Texas, Oklahoma or other states,
thereby preventing school facilities
for the children of those who do live
On their lands, or else by holding
such lands bona fide settlers coming
10 New Mexico for q home are pre.
vented from taking these lands with
out incurring expense in cancelinx
such entries, which they are usually
unable to do. Numerous
instances come to this ofhce where
parties have settled on abandoned
entries who ask the gov.
to cancel the same that they
may file on them. not being able to
stand the expense Of doing so them.
selves.
Entrymen have, by congressional
action. been given a general leave
of absence from their entries from
time to time. The law also pro-