94 C. A. SCHENCK. 



minimum rate of one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre 

 (Commutation clause). 



In the State of Missouri public lands are sold privately at 

 the rate of one dollar and twenty five cents per acre away from 

 the railroads, and in alternate sections along the railroads at 

 two dollars and fifty cents per acre. 



In Okhhoma, homesteaders settling under the homestead law 

 must pay from one dollar to two dollars and fifty cents and 

 in Minnesota, on the former Chippewa reservation, one dollar 

 and twenty-five cents extra per acre. 



A number of special laws facilitate homesteading for certain 

 applicants and in certain localities. The "preemption laws" and 

 the "timber cuUure acts" are repealed. 



The homestead law was framed to suit the settler in the 

 prairies. 



The Interior Department excuses temporary absences of home- 

 stead claimants when rendered necessary. The homestead must be 

 used by the claimant, however, to the exclusion of a home 

 elsewhere. For criticism of the Commutation Clause of the 

 Homestead Act see page 7 in the Second Partial Report of the 

 Public Lands Commission, attached to Roosevelt's message to 

 Congress dated February 13th. 1Q05. The Commutation Clause 

 results frequently in the abandonment of habitations. 



The annual disposition of land under the Homestead Act 

 amounts in the last decade to approximately SVa million acres. 



In the year ending June 30th 1908, there were 29,636 entries 

 covering 4,242,710 acres. The annual acreage patented to home- 

 steaders taking advantage of the Commutation Clause is on the 

 increase. In 1904, for instance, over 2 million acres of home- 

 steads were commuted out of a total of 3.2 million acres home- 

 steaded. 



Between 1868 and 1906, 100 million acres exactly were home- 

 steaded (including commutations). 



Second: Isolated areas of vacant land are sold upon request 

 of parties interested, after advertising in the local papers, in 

 tracts not exceeding one hundred and sixty acres, at public 

 auction. Minimum price must be $1.25 per acre. These are the 

 only auction sales of public lands. 



