The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1919-01-03

less the affiant deposes that his state
ment is made at the request of the
applicant; that he has not solicited,
demanded, received, accepted, or been
;promised, nor intends to receive, a
fee or compensation of any nature for
his assistance in securing allowance
Of the claim or entry.
S. The act does not exempt an ap-
plicant from payment of the regular
fee and commissions chargeable to
other applicants; as to that matter,
you will treat the filings like other
applications
For the information of prospective
applicants it may be stated that the
fee and commissions on 320-acre
entry under the enlarged homestead
act amount to $22 In most of the
states. or to $34 where. the lands are
within the granted limits OF govern
ment-aided railroads; the amount due
on stock-raising homestead appli-
cation for $40 acres is $34, or $58 un-
der the circumstances last mentioned.
| g. A person making homestead
entry under this act Is entitled to the
benefits OF the act OF congress OF
July 2S, 1917 Gao Stat.,- 248). That
act provides that a homesteader shall
have his military services construed
as equivalent to residence and culti-
walton for the same length of time
upon the tract entered, and that If he
be discharged on account of wounds
received or disability incurred In the
line of duty the entire term of his en-
listment shall be thus counted; also,
that no patent shall issue to any home-
steader who has not resided upon, i'm
proved, and cultivated the land for at
least one year, but he is entitled to
the five months absence privilege like
other homesteaders during each years
residence, which he may be required
to show. 1t provides, further, that if
homesteader dies while actually en-
gagged in the military or naval service
of the United States his widow, II
unmarried, or Gf she be married) his
minor orphan children, or his or their
legal representatives may forthwith
make proof upon his entry
person making a desert-land en-
try under this act is entitled to the
benefits of the act of congress of Au-
gust Z, 1917 (40 Stat, 250). Therefore,
such an entry will not be subject to
cancellation for failure to expend 81
per acre in improvements upon the
claim. or to effect it's reclamation, dur
y Ia. Ha,inI ,,r In.
six months thereafter, and the time
for complying with the law is extend
ed for period equal to that of said
service. This relief is conditioned.
however, upon his filing in the local
land office. within six months after
he is mustered into the service, no.
tice of his muster in and of his desire
to hold the desert claim under said
act.
l. The soldier will not be required
to establish residence upon the land
in his homestead entry until six
months after his discharge from mill
tary service. No contest against the
entry will lie in the ground of failure
to establish residence until the expira-
ton OF that period, and the time elaps-
ing before such discharge from the
service will not be counted on the
statutory life of the entry.
8. The joint resolution above set
forth provides for imposition of fine
of not exceeding $1,000 or imprison-
ment for not exceeding two years, or
beth, upon any person, firm, or corpor-
alton which solicits, demands, receives
or accepts any fee or compensation
whether 1t be in money or in other
value) for locating, filing, or securing
any claim or entry for any person
entitled to the benefits of section of
the act of August 81. 1918. 1t is de-
sired that if there be violations of
this prohibition they be promptly
brought to the attention of the General
Land office or the Chief of Field
Division, to the end that immediate
lsteps may be taken to stop such illegal
practices and to bring the offenders
to justice. Moreover, the attention
of the soldiers is very strongly di-
rected to the fact that any one of
them who pays or promises compen-
sation of any kind for securing an
entry, even though it be merely by
the grant of grazing privileges, will
DE conniving at the breach of law
which congress enacted for the pro-
lection not only of the soldiers but
OF the general interests in the public
domain. AS above shown, it will fire.
quently be necessary for some person
to execute. on behalf of the applicant,
an affidavit regarding the character
OF the land; but this must in all cases
be done by relative or by some other
| person who is willing to afford the
service without compensation. The
clear purpose of the act is to give SOL
d1ers under the age of 21 an oppor-
tunity to hold homestead or other
land claim for their own personal
I benefit. but not for speculation on the
part either of themselves or of others
| .. The resolution provides that no
REIMBURSEMENT of an entry made un-
der the act in question shall be valid
| unless executed after the entryman
shall have resided upon and cultivated
the land covered by a homestead en-
try for at least six months; or, as to
other classes of claims, until he shall
nave complied with the provisions of
the applicable law for at least one
year. Moreover, it provides that any
person. firm. or corporation soliciting
ior dealing with the REIMBURSEMENT of
such claim or entry, prior to the CON-
pletion of one years compliance with
the applicable law and with the reso-
luton, shall be subject to the punish
ments above mentioned According
ly, the registers and receivers are in
structed not to make on their records
! any notation regarding receipt of a