The L'anse Sentinel

TO PREVENT FRAUD IN LAND ENTRIES

Final Title Cannot Be Given Until Land is Examined By Agent of the Government.

The United States land office has received circular copies of a letter sent by President Roosevelt to the secretary of the interior from the White House, under date of Jan. 25, says the Marquette Mining Journal, in which the President orders further precautions to prevent frauds in acquiring public lands. The letter follows:

Sir-To prevent the fraud now practiced in the acquisition of public lands of the United States, I have to direct that hereafter no final certificate, patent or other evidence of title shall be issued under the public land laws until an actual examination has been made on the ground by an authorized officer of the government, but the following shall be excepted from the force of this order:

(1) All claims which have heretofore been examined on the ground by an authorized officer of the government whose report is found satisfactory.

(2) All claims where heretofore an officer of the government other than officers authorized to take final proof, shall have been present at taking of final proof to cross-examine claimant and witnesses, if such proof is found satisfactory.

(3) All claims where claimant's compliance with the law has been established by contest or other regular adverse proceedings.

(4) Entries may have been confirmed by virtue of any act of congress.

(5) Selection and entries in which no residence or improvement is required by law, when the lands embraced therein are strictly speaking in agricultural districts, or when their character has been fixed by investigation and classification made in accordance with law.

(6) Cases of reissuance of patents because of some clerical error occurring in the patent heretofore issued.

(7) All Indian allotments which have been regularly approved in accordance with instructions of the secretary of the interior.

You will issue all necessary instructions to carry this order into effect.

This order is in lieu of my order of Dec. 13, 1906.
DECLARATION OF INTENTION.

The following circular letter, issued by the commissioner of the general land office, under the approval of the secretary of the interior has also been received:

"Referring to circular approved Nov. 6, 1906, wherein you are instructed not to receive declaration of intention or certificates of naturalization made or issued after Sept. 27, 1906, or copies thereof which are not substantially in the form pre-scribed by Section 27 of the act approved June 29, 1906. (34 Stats 596.) you are further directed to accept, if duly authenticated, plain copies of the record, not imitating or resembling the form or design of the original certificate of naturalization or declaration of intention, and all such duly authenticated copies may have written or stamped across the face thereof, over the official seal and signature of the clerk of the court out of which the certificate of naturalization issued or before which the declaration of intention was made, a legend or endorsement declaring in substance that such certified copies may be used only in proving claims to the public lands.

"The foregoing instructions are supplemental to and not in substitution of the instructions approved Nov. 6, 1906."