The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1912-08-01

Washington, D. C. The Interior
department has just issued instruc-
tions for the enforcement of the three
year homestead bill, which passed con-
gress and was signed by the president
on June g. These instructions will be
sent to tho various local land offices,
and will not only guide registers and
receivers in the carrying out Of the
law, but will be guide to homestead
ers who come under the law. Already,
the department has forwarded to every
homestead entryman copy of the act
of June 6, 1912, and instructions will
be available at local land offices for
those who desire further enIighten-
ment- The instructions are explained
in the following synopsis prepared by
the commissioner of the general land
Office:
/. The period of residence is re-
duced from five years to three. the
credit to begin, however. from the
establishment of actual residence upon
! the land; proof must be submitted
! within FIVE years from the date Of en-
try
| 2. Cultivation for three years,
counting from the date of entry, is re-
quired, including actual cultivation of
not less than one sixteenth of the area
beginning with the second year and
not less than one-eighth beginning
with the third year and until final
proof. Tillage of the soil is required
mere breaking of the soil is moi
sufficient, but this must be accom-
panied by planting or sowing seed
Grazing is not accepted, except will
respect to certain lands opened to en-
try under special acts providing there
for. Except as to certain lands il
Idaho and Utah hereafter mentioned
, the cultivation required is the same OF
{ entries under the enlarged homestead
acts as on ordinary entries; that is
, the cultivation Of the former thereto
J fore required) as reduced by half.
8. The secretary of the inferior i
, authorized to reduce the required are'
of cultivation; this will not be dom
on account of the physical or financia
disabilities or misfortunes of the en-
trymen, but only where exaction o
j cultivation to the statutory proportion
: is unreasonable under the peculia
conditions governing the lands. Tn
entryman must make application TO
the reduction during the first year o
his entry. Forms will be furnishe
for that purpose These application
y are primarily passed upon by the ger
eral land office, but the ultimate de
/ cision thereon rests with the secretar
f of the interior.
: a. After residence upon the land
: for one year, soldiers and sailors wh
d served in time Of war may have cred
n for the period of their service. The
must, however, show cultivation {
t not less than one-eighth of the are
!. for at least one year.
I'll S. The general land Office is al
d thorized to extend for not more this
v six months allowed for establishmel
e of residence, on account of climat
n conditions, sickness or other unavoi
ic able cause Applications for this r
lief will not be considered in advanc
le but the homesteader's rights will
adjudicated when the question
4 raised. The homesteader is requir
e to go upon the land when the hinde
lie ing cause is removed.
nj 6. The entryman may absent hir
10 self for one continuous period of n
v more than five months in each We
re- following establishment of his res
E. dence, but he must show bona fide co
tinuos residence during remaining pc
tions of the three-year period Ty
6ve-months' periods of absence imm
diately succeeding each other. thou
I'd in different years of entry, will not
allowed; six months absence rende
or the entry subject to contest Nor
>, over, in considering either final pro
or contests, extended periods of a
b. sence are respected only where mott
h. has been given to the local land off
% of the beginning of the intended a
sv sence and also notice of the hon
n steader's return. The acts allowi
leave of absence to be granted by
no local officers have not been repealed.
" 7. The privilege of commutati
ia (where it heretofore existed) is +
rs affected by the new act, except tt
an the entrymran must be a citizen
a. the United States, and the old pr,