45 
Sharing  in  Increase  Price  on  Forfeiture  Sale. 
The  Commission  recommends  the  repeal  of  that  portion  of  Sec- 
tion 276,  R.  L.  HI,  which  provides  that  the  purchaser  may  share 
in  the  increase  or  advance  on  the  original  price  of  the  land  itself 
upon  a sale  on  forfeiture  of  the  agreement.  Such  a provision 
promotes  speculation  and  offers  an  inducement  in  many  instances 
for  the  settler  to>  abandon  the  land,  allow  the  same  to  be  sold  on 
forfeiture  sale,  profit  by  the  increase  and  almost  wholly  ignore 
the  conditions  of  this  agreement.  With  a liberal  administration 
of  the  law  in  regard  to  the  assignment  of  agreements  and  the 
extension  of  time  within  which  to  fulfill  conditions  of  agreements, 
all  cases  of  forfeiture  tending  to  cause  hardship  to  the  settler 
may  be  avoided. 
Classification  and  Survey. 
Many  of  the  causes  of  complaint  against  the  land  laws  and  of 
failure  of  the  homesteader  to  make  a success  of  his  venture  have 
arisen  through  an  improper  classification  of  lands.  Lands  have 
been  opened  for  settlement  for  certain  purposes  which  were  not 
suitable  for  the  purposes  for  which  they  were  opened.  The  Com- 
mission finds  that  the  surveys  of  lands  and  classification  of  the 
same  suitable  for  settlement  purposes,  are  very  incomplete.  Such 
data  is  deemed  of  the  utmost  importance  and  the  Commission 
accordingly  recommends  that  an  appropriation  of  $50,000  be 
made  for  a complete  survey  and  classification  of  government 
lands,  more  particularly  undeveloped  land  suitable  for  homestead 
purposes  in  such  detail  that  there  will  be  shown  the  classes  and 
character  of  the  land  in  small  areas.  This  work  will  require  not 
only  the  services  of  surveyors,  but  also'  the  services  of  men  com- 
petent to  classify  the  land  under  the  several  heads  provided  by 
the  Land  Act.  In  this  connection  the  Commission  notes  that 
proper  plans,  descriptions  and  surveys  should  be  made  prior  to 
the  time  of  application  for  the  land  and  a proper  description  and 
plan  attached  to  the  Agreement.  Such  procedure  will  avoid  delay 
in  the  issuance  of  the  patent.  It  is  important  that  the  purchaser 
be  delivered  his  patent  expeditiously  after  he  has  fulfilled  the 
conditions  of  his  agreement,  thereby  avoiding  all  possibility  of 
suspicion  and  discouragement  among  purchasers  generally.  All 
the  detailed  data  above  provided  for,  including  maps,  plans, 
descriptions  and  notes  as  to  character  of  land,  shall  be  furnished 
the  Commissioner  of  Public  Lands  who  shall  carefully  index  the 
same  in  convenient  form  for  display  so  that  the  information  may 
be  easily  obtained  by  intending  purchasers  as  well  as  the  general 
public. 
