Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1913-09-12
new HOMESTEAD
LAW EXPLAINED
Provisions for the Three-Year
Statute Made Plain for
Settlers
TOFITLOCAL CONDITIONS
Representative Steenerson's
Bill Would Substitute Clear
ing for Cultivation
TO FIT LOCAL CONDITIONS

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9.-The three
year homestead law, which was sign
ed by President Taft on June 6, 1912,
has led to a considerable amount of
uncertainty on the part Of settlers on
the public lands in the Northwest as
to their rights and duties, and Rep
resentative Steenerson, of Minnesota,
has undertaken to make the opera
tions of this law plain to the country's
settlers through statement which he
is sending to his constituents and 9TH
ers interested in the question. The
three-year homestead law is now the
supreme law with regard to settle
ment on public lands.
Case Of Old Entries
"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 period of
five years and an amount of cultiva-
tion and improvement sufficient to
demonstrate the entryman's good faith
says Mr.. Steenerson. 1T is not nec-
essary that the entryman shall have
filed his selection to complete his en-
try under the old law, as required by
the act of June 6, 1912, for by sub
sequent enactment the requirement
to file an election of choice under
which law he desired to prove up was
repealed. And as to these entries
made before June 6, 1912, commuta-
tion proof may be made upon show
ing of fourteen months actual con-
tinuous residence, just preceding the
submission of proof or filing Of notice
Of intention to do SO, together with
cultivation and improvements as
above ndicated-suff1cient to show
good faith. Such entrymen may also
take advantage of the three-year
homestead law by showing residence
of period of three years with per-
missible absence of five continuous
months during each year after the es-
tablishment of residence) and the cul-
tivation of not less than one-sixteenth
of the area of the entry for one year,
followed by one-eighth of the next
and each succeeding year until final
proof.
Entries Made After June 6, 1912
"If the entry is made after June 6,
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 entered must be
effected beginning the second year of
the entry, followed by one-eighth be-
ginning the third year and each sue
ceeeding year until final proof. And,
as to these entries Communication proof
may be made upon showing of four
teen months actual continuous resi-
dence, but it is requires as rule OF
administration that at least one-six.
teenth of the area entered shall be
under cultivation.
In the state of Washington, as in
the state of Minnesota, there are lands
where it is impracticable and in many
places impossible to meet these re-
quirements of residence and cult
vation, and Mr.. Steenerson has intro
duced bill authorizing the secretary
Of the interior to accept the expendi.
ture of an amount equal to $3.50 an
acre for the entire area entered as
equivalent to cultivation.
Spend Money for Drainage
In the case of lands too wet to cul.
tivate, the money is to be spent in
drainage systems, and in case Of tim
bered or cut-over lands Mr.. Steener.
sons bill provides that an amount OF
labor equal to $3.50 per acre for the
entire area entered has been expend'
ed in clearing, breaking and prepar
ing the land for cultivation shall be
accepted in lieu of actual cultivation
Mr. Steenerson intends to urge the
adoption Of his bill early in the next
regular session of congress.