Show laud land cir it would appear to the casual reader ot of decisions by the secretary of the interior in cases of preemption pre emption and c im lm muted homestead entries that very little littie regard to consistency reason or logic is exercised exert in their preparation but to the tha careful analytical reader it is quite evident that the decisions are ara the result of thorough h examination of the smallest details and that every circum circumstance connected with each particular case is ia carefully weighed and ii has a s a baring barine ine upon the conclusion reached reache d in some boma cases the th greatest clemency appears to be shown to persons who have as NV would appear from a casual examination 1 of the proof offered been absent from their claims tor for periods of great length and whose improvements aro are of the most meagre character in others where absence froia roia the th claims have been ot of short abort duration and where im improvements prove ments to the value of hundreds of dollars have been placed upon tho land the tha decisions seeni beem very harsh and to go to the limit of the law in the severity of the requirements made take two such cues cases and examine carefully the proof in each it will bo be found that the intention of the entry roan as evidenced by his acts and the circum circumstance i in the cases respectively is the foundation upon abich tho the Secre action rests the intention to use the land for the actual purposes of a home is what constitutes faithful compliance the spirit of the preemption pre emption and homestead laws law and thi settler who be cadjo baug e of poverty sickness or other misfortune is unable to place valuable improvement p pro r 0 y e me rits or bo be continuously personally present upon his claim ma hayand yand and generally gen f rally does have a more inor p earnest desire and honest intention to secure the land for an actual home for himself and I 1 fa family w ly than the man main well to do dotin in the wo world ald who by reason of lis his better finan cial circumstances good health and other advantages is able to place val bable ual buildings ution and cultivate extensive acres of his claim while lie he flits back bach and forth between some borne favo favorita ritta retort resort and the land covered by his entry as fancy dictates having no actual bona fide residence upon the claim but still being personally present thereon a gre greater at number of continuous days than his as aa the world sees flees them less fortunate neighbor one is struggling antho in the fare face of poverty sickness and distress to acquire a little land which he be may call his own upon which liis his family may look as a home and cease to be wanderers upon tile the face of the earth while the other oilier is endeavoring to secure title to a tract of public manifor land for purposes of speculation that the fatness of liia his purse may become increased the former can do but little in in the way of improvement while the latter knows that for every dollar he be expends upon improving his claim lie rill v ill receive three in the near future the well to do are not the only class alio attempt often successfully to re ac quire title to public land by mere compliance with the words cf the statute while ignoring the spirit the poor and needy often go and do lil likewise cise sometimes as private specula speculators tons and again as the paid agens of rich men ii ito ho profit by their unlawful ful practices it is this ferreting out of intention and judging accordingly that gives to tile the f Secre decisions in an air of inconsistency and while it will A ill be impossible to ascertain beyond a doubt in every case the intentions mens actions it is tair to perfume that the decisions are usually correct never without reason and where a reasonable ground for doubt appears re respecting pectin the intention of a settler the settler always receives the th benefit thereof HENRY NL corp |