Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1912-01-12
JUST HORSE
SENSE NEEDED

/ 4
tration of the land Office would deal
with prospective settlers upon the !
public domain not as Il potential
criminal but AS Il possible asset to
the country; ii, instead Of talkil & OF
land grabbers, we sought to turn our
vacant land into productive farms.
the homes of thousands OF enterpris-
ing. law abiding and prosperous pco-
pie, we would not longer have to
worry because the tide of immigra-
tior is tending toward the lands Of
the Canadian northwest Billings
Gazette.
The western governors pointed out
to Land Commissioner bennett that
the work of the government land Of
flee is rather injurious than beneficial
to the development of the country.
The commissioner replied that the
laws are wrong.
Not to dilate upon the rather vague
connection between the land laws and
some of the policies used in their i'd
many that the root Of the evil is the
ignorance of the east iii regard to
the west. Hard as ii is for the
country to secure any sort OF legisla-
ton from which political medicine
cannot be made, still some relief
might be had if eastern congressman
could only understand the conditions
which surround the homestea.lers and
the grantees Of government lands.
II Is a moth eaten superstition that
the land should be given to the people
for homes and that the entryman is
the recipient OF a mnniicent govern
ment bounty which should be doled
out sparingly to a clamcring multi
tude. The successful homesteauer
must add 10 the land hundreds or
thousands Of dollars in money or Ia
Dor before it becomes productive.
He is isolated and alone ut first to Il
point which will call for all the forti-
tude OF u normal person and econO-
MIXING to the last crust. Once sue
cessful, he has made for the nation
out of the wilderness a farm which
will for AL future time produce year
ly some two or three thousand dollars
worth Of the nations food
No great munificrnce is shown by
the government in its provision for
the settler. 1t is limited to a pre-
liminary survey of the land. which in
| these parts is crooked rs u crazy quilt
and the marks mostly obliterated.
AS to any effort to influence the num-
Der or character Of the settlers or to
point out to them the land, the gov
eminent washes its hands. These
things are left to such wandering en-
thusiasts as are willing to engage in
locating FOR hire, and in practising in
II small way before the land office.
Once a tract of country is settled up,
the misguided optimist who has ac-
cOmplished it is usually run out of
the county by some indignant farmer
whose neighbour has gotten the better
land.
The source of the most waste and
the cause OF the most failures among
! the homesteaders is the requirement
for continuous residence. This iS
not the law, but its Interpretation by
the land office. The number OF use
ful days which the humesteader can
spend upon his land is limited lay the
seasons and the amount of his seed
and live stock. Every day OF encore
ed residence above that amount is u
day oi waste. provided he is willing
for and can procure work elsewhere.
or even can live cheaper elsewhere.
This waste deprives the cOun tyy o
the services OF y number of it's pro-
ducing citizens and ruins u good
share OF those citizens individually.
\ multitude of the special agents OF
the land office infests the western
country. apparently created as Il bat
talon OF political myrmidons in sup
port Of the Washington politicians.
TO Justify their employment they
must institute contests and secure
convictions and this can only be done
by eAaggerating the residence require
ments. The area Of vacant land to
be taken is still great and even where
almost exhausted much could be done
to alleviate the hardships Of the set
tiers and to stimulate their progress
by the use Of little horse sense in
connection with the government land.
! -ROundup Tribune.
Question:: What is worse than bit
ing int" an apple and finding worm.
Answer: biting into All apple and
finding half Il worm"