Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1942-10-30
Homestead Law fastened Montana's
Development by AT Least Fifty Years

America, u was not IS 1dventufefS
nor with the desire TO become rich
and then return 70 their native
land. They came here to make
their homes on this continent, and
to found states.
At first all went well as could have
been expected. There were none but
Indians to claim the land on which
they built their rude cabins, but the
Indians were friendly. Along the At
lantic coast stretched settlements.
where they could keep in touch with
the outside world across the sea.
In a generation or two. the younger
members Of the communities began to
feel the need of expansion. which
could take but one direction-west,
and this meant the clearing Of the
forest by cutting down trees. and pa
tiently Graduating the stumps remain
ing This process continued, until those
who were far seeing began to visualize
fortunes in the undeveloped lands. and
set about appropriating them in every
way possible.
Ohio Company Formed
This led to the formation of the
Ohio company, a British-American
concern in which Lawrence Washing
ton, elder brother Of George Washing
ton was interested.
The French, beyond our northern
border. likewise grew land hungry. and
Celeron de Bienville crossed New York
to the Allegheny river, and Travelled
down that and the Ohio, burying
plates as he went, inscribed with the
interesting statement that the land
there was claimed by the King of
France. Fort Duchesne was built be-
tween the Allegheny and Monon-
gahela rivers. as visible evidence of this
claim.
Regardless of the buried plates the
stream of western pioneers kept stead
lily on its way, although by this time
the Indians began to regard the in
roads of the whites with apprehension,
and were not always friendly. The
pioneer often had to fight them, and
carry on a legal battle against the
great proprietors, who had received
vast tracts of unoccupied land from
the Crown, or the Colonial govern
mentS. This latter warfare generally
resulted in success for the squatter,
who had public opinion on his side in
the contest.
After the Revolution. the govern
ment, which was sadly in need Of
money, began to look to the public
land as source of revenue. and Al
exander Hamilton suggested the ex-
pediency of establishing a general land
acted upon for 20 years. Meanwhile
squatters continued to annoy the
authorities.
No Preliminary Surveys
There were then no preliminary
surveys, and the settler had to attend
to that after he selected his home
site. In 1876 a law was passed for the
survey of Ohio lands, and arrange
ments were made for their sale. The
smallest amount was $40 acres, at $500
an acre, one half to be paid at
the time of purchase, and the balance
at the end of a year. Most of the
settlers being poor, but few were able
to buy land at this price.
Then followed the law advocated by
William Harrison, which McMaSters
says did more for the country than
his victories over the Indians. BY this
law public lands we're first offered for
sale at auction to the highest bidder
for a term of three weeks, the lands
remaining being disposed of at pri-
vate sale at $500 an acre, four
years, or more being allowed for COM
pletion of payment. There were dis
counts for cash, and interest was
charged on the unpaid balance.
The lure of the government require
ment of but so cents an acre down,
was too great for many to withstand.
To
ism overcame prudence, and they in
vested all their money for the first
payment, expecting to realize enough
from the land to meet the others
when due, forgetting that outside of
expenses for needed buildings, fencing
ETC., the settler and his family must
live 1t is stated by PaXson that under
the Harrison law third of the buyers
defaulted.
There were others who refused to
pay, but were not dispossessed of their
holdings. This worked an injustice to
those who paid, and induced still
others to pay but part of the amount
due The demand of the west was for
free land, and this was voiced in the
words of song popular for years af-
terWard.
Uncle Sam is rich enough to give
us all a farm"
So thought the west. Not so the east
where industrialism had taken root.
For a solid economic reason, the east
objected to a decrease of population,
which meant, for factory owners an
increase of wages. The south, likewise
regarded this westward drift with ap-
prehension, as it might lead to the
formation of more free states, in which
event the south would cease to DOM
mate the country.
Tiffin Named Commissioner
There was no general land office
until April Is, 1912, when the business
which to that time had been trans
acted through the treasury depart
ment, was reorganized, and Edward
Tiffin, of Ohio named as commits
sioner
In 1920 the law was changed to per-
nit the purchase of as small an
amount as 80 acres, with cash pay
ment of $125 per acre. Moderate as
was that price the west was not sat