Repeal Of The Pre-emption Laws

The similry civil bilí now beíore congress has a elause repcaling the existiug Faw for the pre-emption of public lands. These laws are extensively pervertod by speculators who have no inteiitiou of oeeupying the lands entered by thom, as was originally eontemplated by congress, but make them a rueans of withhmding the laud from actual Bettlement. The repealiog cláUso, lunvever, does not annul tho Eomestead laws, and contains these iin]iortaut pi'ovis'ous: That any person who lias heretofore made or may hereafter make a bona fide entry of public lands iinder the homestead laws shall have tlio privilege of paying a minimum ptfee for the quantity of land so entered at any time before the expiration of iive years from the date of entry. and al'ter actual resideuee, improvement and eultivation have been maintained for a period of not less than two and one-half years after entry; and provided, further, that any person applying for the benefits of the timber culture laura clt-iM Tnitlro l.it! frtfrv in nfriann at. the proper local land office, and shall make aflidavit that heis an attnal resident of the county and state, or territorT, in wliich tho land issituated, and that he has not ontered into any contract or agreement to relinquiflh the entry he ínay make, and that he has no purpose of making any suoh relinquishinoiit, and offering for sale as a matter of traffic or spocnlation of relïnquishments of eutrios mado under the provisions of tho timber culture laws, shall bo ileemed prima facie evidonce that snch entries wero made for speculative purposos, and suoh entries shall thereupon bo liablo to cancellation by tho commissioner of the general land office, and tho land covered theroby shall bc deenied subject to entry by the lirst legal aj)]licant.