The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1913-12-11
WOULD RELIEVE
S. D.. SETTLERS
SENATOR STERLING INTRODIC
ES BILL LIMITING PRICE OF
LANDS TO 1926 PER
ACRE.

Washington. ID. C.-Senate bin
1856, introduced by Senator Sterling
Is intended for The relief of South
Dakota homCsteaders.
The purpose of the bill is, as midi
Gated by the title, to provide free
llomesteads for the actual settlers
main, an extension of the act of on
gross Of May II, 1900, to present
day settlers who have not made final
proof or committed their homestead
entries. 1t permits final proof to be
made and patent to issue to the set.
tier upon payment OF the land office
fees simply, without the payment OF
any fixed price per acre. In case the
settler commutes his entry ne will,
under the terms of the bill, pay the
appraised price OF $1.25 per acre, but
in no case win he be required to
pay moFe than 1926 per acre.
The bill is in the interest of sim
pie Justice TO the settlers on Indian
lands opened for settlement in re-
cent years. The Standing Rock and
Cheyenne Reservation lands opcmed
for settlement under the act of MAY
-" '"Vo' WCiS app liStu ull JlG way
from fifty cents to $3.50 per acre.
-Four dollars per acre is probably not
far from the average. Add TO the pur-
chase price the value OF the improve
ments necessary before the settler
can have his patent, to say nothing
OF the privations incident to home
stead settlement. and the absurdity OF
calling these free homesteads is APP
parent. There have been four sue
cessive crop failures on the two res
ervations named and Il petition signed
by S65 homesteadcrs, lately present
ed to congress, alleged their il ability
to make these payments and asked
that patents might issue to them
without further payment.
Up to 1891 the settler on the pub
lie domain could use his three
rights, as they were termed, namely,
the %preemption, homestead and tim
%bcrculture entry rights. The only
payment he vas obliged to make,
aside from the land office fees, was
S1.25 per acre. Under the laws al
lowing these three rights the better
portions OF South Dakota east of the
Missouri were all settled and many
settlers Were enabled to procure their
4S0 acres of land in the most fertile
parts of the state. In comparison with
these conditions the settlers on the
lands recently opened west of the
Missouri River have not had a square
deal
The benefits of the act of 1900
were realized by many settlers on
the lands OF the Sisseton reservations
in South Dakota. and by the settlers
in Oklahoma. The former are situated
in one OF the best farming regions
in northern South Dakota md these
are worth all the way from S25 70
SIS per acre. If there was reason in
1900 for eXempting the Sisseton or
Oklahoma settlers from further pay
ments, there is a tenfold greater rea-
son for eXempting all remaining set
tiers in good faith who have not YET
received their patents on final OF
Communication proof.
The bill protects the Indians by
providing that when, by such cXem-
plion, funds viii be released which
otherwise would have belonged u
any Indian tribe, such funds shall be
paid to such tribe by the Unitct
States. A like provision was con
tanned in the act of 1900. The bill
also protects the agricultural college
against any loss they might sustain
by reason of such exemption.
TIC bill is Of great importance
from several standpoints and it j,
believed that its just purpose vii
appeal to members of the Senate ant
House generally, and that it will be
come n law AT flfe ensuing session.