The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-09-08
EXPLAINS RIGHTS
OF SETTLERS
CONGRESSMAN STEVENSON Elk
PLAINS RIGHTS OF SETTLERS
ON THE PUBLIC LANDS UNDER
THE NEW THREE-YEAR HOME
STEAD LAW.

Rep. Halvor Stevenson has fur
nished The Forum the following for
publication:
There seems to be a great deal OF
uncertainty about h requirements
and rights of settlers on the public
lands under the new, homestead law,
for / have received hundreds of let
tiers requesting information, n be-
lieve the following extract will throw
some light upon the subject which
will be of general Interest,":
Entries Before June 6. 1912.
I'm the case Of entries made prior
to June 6, 1912, proof may be made
| under the old 1ve-year law which re-
| Quires residence for a period of five
years and an amount Of cultivation
and improvements sufficient to dem
onstrate the entryman's good faith. It
Is not necessary that the entryman
shall have filed his election to COM
plete hts entry under the old law, as
required by the act Of June 6, 1912, for
by subsequent enactment the require
ment to file an election of choice I'M
der which law, he desired to prove up
was repealed. And, as to these en-
tries made before June 6, 1912, COM
mutation proof may be made upon a
showing of fourteen months actual
continuous residence just preceding
the submission Of proof or filing of
notice of Intention to submit same, to-
gether with cultivation n improve
ments 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 absence of five con-
tinuous months during each year aft
err the establishment of residence) and
the cultivation of not less than one
sixteenth of the area Of the entry for
one year, followed by one-eighth the
next and each succeeding year until
final proof.
Entries 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-s1x-
teenth of the area entered must be eff
fected beginning the second year of
the entry. followed by one-eighth be-
ginning the third year and each sue
ceeding rear until final proof. And, as
to these entries, Communication proof
may be made upon a showing of four
teen months actual continuous resi-
dence, but it Is required, as a rule of
administration, that at least one-six-
teenth Of the area entered shall be un-
der cultivation. .. @'
Conditions in Minnesota.
Nov, in northern Minnesota there
are lands where 1t is impracticable,
and in many instances impossible to
meet these requirements Of residence
and cultivation, and with a view to
~affording relief in these cases I re-
Gently introduced a bill to authorize
the secretary Of the interior to hold
the expenditure Of an amount in labor
I've 70 GO E0 No. 49, Co. 80
area entered as equivalent to cultiva-
ton. In the case of lands too wet to
permit of cultivation this shall be eff
fected by ditching and draining; and
in the case of timbered or cut-over
lands 1t 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 and break
Ing, and preparing the land for cult
walton although the area actually put
under cultivation may be less thar
that required by law now. And this
bill il provides that the time which
any homestead settler serves during
the homestead period as a teacher in
the public schools in the same state or
territory shall be deducted from the
time OF residence required to perfect
title. the same as Is o allowed hon
orably discharged soldiers and sailors
for actual war service. But, Of course,
1t must be required OF such settler
that he live on the land one year after
he shall have commenced his i'm
provements in order to show good
faith.
ut should be borne in mind, howev-
er. that bills Of this character cannot
be considered during this extra ses-
sion Of congress, but will be taken ur
when congress convenes in regular
session the first Monday in Deem
ber." -E ~ i. | E.E +" '.-