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Show TO PRESERVE SETTLERS' RIGHTS Washington, D. C. April 2i To preserve pre-serve the rights of settlers on the Uintah reserve and prevent claim jump ing Senator Smoot has had several conferences with Secy. Ballinger and Asst. Secy. Pierce. Owing to the lack of water on most of the land, set-j set-j tiers are compelled to leave their holdings hold-ings temporarily, and while the department de-partment lias no power under the law to permit such temporary arrangements, arrange-ments, the secretary as a result of these conferences with the Utah senator, sen-ator, has telegraphed the register of the Vernal land office to; refuse to i file protests against entrymen except after rigid Investigation as to bona-fide bona-fide protestors. The secretary' does not propose to aid land grabbers In their practices of forcing settlers to i buy- off adverse claimants and uuder i his Instructions the register and receiver re-ceiver of the Vernal land office will ! do all In their powpr to protect tho Interests of settlers who aro compelled compel-led to temporarily leave their homestead home-stead claims, because of tho aridity of; the lands. Should existing conditions continue an effort will be made to se-1 se-1 cure special action at the regular ses-' I slon of Congress which will give the (secretary more discretion than he possesses pos-sesses under the existing law. I |