Show FUll PROTECTION FOR TIlE THE SQUATTER Order Issued Regarding i Lands in National i Forests RIGHT OF HOMESTEADER QUESTION QUES lON OF GOOD FAITH AND ANDi i COMPLYING WITH LAW LAN LAWt t Washington March 23 Secretary Wll Wil tiOn or has just Issued an order providing T for u a more liberal treatment of bona fide upon up n land which his has been included within national forests forest sinto tho the time of actual occupancy of the tho theland tholand land lantI by y the squatter J Under the homestead law It is impossible sible sibil tor for any an one to ure legal leal title to public land but occupancy 1 survey is recognized as giving a d Prior i claim dalm aim to the land after survey un r cl dr r what Is known as squatters rights A 8 who had In good faith taken l oss sion of a piece of ot national forest and md before the national forests were cre created is not dispossessed of his claim by byth th forest service and amI if f he lives upon it ita Ita a ad id d cultivates it until the tiie land has been he is able to get his home homestead homestead homestead stead just as though hi h had settled on onar ona onay ar a ay y part of the tho unreserved public do domain domain domain main But since Ince the passage of the act of June 11 1900 which permits the secre secretary secretary secretary tary of ot agriculture to list for settlement land and which he finds chiefly valuable for tor agriculture it has been possible for squat squatters squatters squatters to apply for the listing of ot their lands under this act and thus to obtain title prior to the government nt survey The ob object object object of the new order of the secretary is isto Isto Isto to provide for the listing of the full amount of land which the occupant would receive if he be exercised his option of ot awaiting the government survey irre irrespective irrespective of ot whether or not the entire area is cultivable provided the claim clam is bona bonafide bonafide fide ride and the land is not more valuable for timber than titan for agriculture Order of Secretary Wilson Wison I Secretary Wilsons order Is as follows k A person who has settled upon and continuously continuous occupied lands within a national forest before its it crea creation creation tion and is at the present time occupy occupying occupying ing lug such lands In good faith and is in all al respects complying with wIh the homestead law lias bas the right to include within the theT T lines of his homestead 16 acres after the theland theland theland land is i surveyed Therefore If i the land landis is occupied for agricultural purposes and andis andis ii is not more valuable for its Is timber than for such purposes and there are no cir clr circumstances i which would in the opinion I of the district forester tend to discredit the tho bona bonn fides of the claimant he should be allowed to make application for the patenting of such lands under the he act of f June 11 and the examination for list listing listing ing should 1 be made with wih a view of list listing lug ing ICO iGO 1 acres of ot land where possible The tracts as listed should conform so far as practicable to the form of the the public land surveys The listing of lands as above should not in any way w govern gover the deter determination determination of ot the total area or amount of land listed for applicants under the act of June 11 1 1906 who were not residing upon the land before the creation of the forest craton In cases where less than IGO IG acres of oC land has ha been listed to a person who set td upon the land to the creation creaton of tile the forest an additional area ara sufficient dept tte to complete the homestead entry may mo be b allowed upon proper application |