Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1913-09-11
Congressman Steenerson Explains
Rights Of Settlers on the Public
Lands Under the New Three Year
Homestead Law u

Lands Under the New Three Year
Homestead Law ". r.
Z There seems to be a great deal of
unc ertainty about the requirements
and rights of settlers on the public
lands under the new homestead
law, for I have received hundreds
of letters requesting information.
and believe the following abstract
will throw some light upon the
subject which will be of general in
.terest: =. y. ~"ss, -. =.
Entries Made Before June 6, 1912
In the case of entries made prior
to June 6, 1912, proof may be made
under the old five year law. which
requires residence for a period of
five years and an amount of culti-
walton and improvements sufficient
to demonstrate the entryman's good
faith. It is not necessary that the
entryman shall have filed his elec-
tion to complete his entry under
the old law, as required by the Act
|of June 6, 1912, for by subsequent
enactment the requirement to file
an election of choice under which
law he desired to prove up was re-
pealed. And, as to these entries
made before June 6, 1912, commuta-
tion proof may be made upon a
showing of IL months actual con-
tinuous residence just preceding
the submission of proof or filing of
notice OF. intention to submit same,
together with cultivation and inn
provements as above indicated
sufficient to show good faith. Such
entrymen may also take advantage
OF the three year homestead law by
showing residence Of a period of
three years with permissible alb
Isence of five continuous months
during each year fter the estab-
| lish1nent Of residence@ and the cul-
Itivation Of not Tess than ione-sii!x-
teenth of the area of the entry for
one year, followed by one-eighth
the next and each succeeding year
until final proof. p e.. a" ..'r
Entries Made After June 6, 1912
If the entry is made after June
Is, 1912, the period of residence is:
three years, with the privilege of
five months. absence in each year,
but the cultivation required, which
is one-sixteenth of the area enter
ed must be effected beginning the
second year of the entry, followed
by one7eighth beginning the third
year and each succeeding year un-
til final proof. And as to these en-
tries, commutatfon proof may be
made upon showing of IL months
actual continuous residence, but it
| is required, as a rule of adminis-
tratiOn, that at least one-sixteenth
of the area entered shall be under
cultivation.
Conditions i'm Minnesota.
Now, in northern Minnesota, there
are lands where it is impracticable,
and in many instances impossible
to meet these requirements of res
idenoe and cultivation, and with a
view to affording relief in these
cases I recently introduced a bill to
authorize the Secretary of the In
terror to hold the expenditure of an
amount in labor equal to $3.50 an
Iacre for the entire area entered as
equivalent to cultivation. In the
case of lands too wet to permit of
cultivation this shall be effected by
|ditching and draining and in uhe
case Of tmbered or cut-over lands
it shall be- sufficient to show that
an amount in labor equal to $3.50
an acre for the whole area entered
has been expended in clearing,
breaking and preparing the land
for cultivation although the area
actually put under cultivation may
be less than that required by law
now. And this bill also provides
that the time which any homestead
settler serves during the homestead
period as teacher in the public
schools in the same state or terri
tory, shall be deducted from the
time Of residence required to per-
feet title, the same as is now al
lowed honOrably discharged sol
|diers and sailors for actual war
service. But, Of course, it must be
required of such settler that he
live on the land one year after he
shall have commenced his improve
ments insorder to show good faith.
tt should be borne in mind, how