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Show HOMESTEAD LAW-IS LAW-IS CONSTRUED Washington. Sept. 2. Frank Fierce, acting secretary of the Interior, has written a letter to Senator Reed Smoot construing the large homestead home-stead act in to far as It provldeB, "That al'tor entry and until final proof, the entryman shall reside within with-in such distance of the land as will enable hlni successfully to form the same " Senator Smoni had advised the department de-partment that "many persons who made such entries at remote distances from the land entered." Naturally, they have become anxious as to how the Interior department will hold as to their compliance with the statute W. I.. Roberts of Salt Lake, one of the entrymen, raised the question. Senator Smoot suggested that the department de-partment fix a time rather than a distance limit, and to make It incumbent in-cumbent upon entrymen to be within twelve hours' ride by rail of their homesteads. The Salt Lake land office of-fice has construed this act liberally. and reported to the Interior department depart-ment that "seventy per eept of those who have made entry up to the present pres-ent time are resldonts of cities and towns remote In distance from the lands entered." Secretary Pierce upholds the construction con-struction of the law given by the Salt Lake land office, but declines to ac- I cept Senator Snioo'.'s suggestion of an arbitrary time limit. Each case, the department holds, must rest on the circumstances. If the homesteader ' personally farms the land entered or personally supervises the cultivation and Improvement of the same.'' the department will not inquire Into his place of residence. |