Proclamation 1681—Extension of Time for Payment for Crow Indian Lands, Montana

Whereas, the Act of Congress directing the disposal of lands within a specified part of the Crow Indian Reservation, in the State of Montana, approved April 27, 1904 (33 Stat., 352), among other things, provides:

That when, in the judgment of the President, no more of the land herein ceded can be disposed of at said price, he may by proclamation, to be repeated at his descretion, sell from time to time the remaining land subject to the provisions of the homestead law or otherwise as he may deem most advantageous, at such price or prices, in such manner, upon such conditions, with such restrictions, and upon such terms as he may deem best for all the interests concerned;

And Whereas, certain lands in the Reservation were sold and entered in the manner provided for by Proclamations of September 28, 1914 (38 Stat., 2029), and April 6, 1917 (40 Stat., 1653), which Proclamations fixed the terms under which the lands might be paid for;

And Whereas, because of droughts and adverse weather conditions an extension of time for payments, until the 1921 anniversaries of the dates of the purchases and entries was allowed on certain conditions to certain purchasers and entry men by Proclamation dated May 5, 1920 (41 Stat., 1793);

And Whereas, it appearing that there had been no substantial amelioration of conditions a further extension of time for payments until the 1922 anniversaries of the dates of the purchases and entries was allowed on certain conditions to certain purchasers and entrymen by Proclamation dated August 11, 1921 (42 Stat., 2246);

And Whereas, it appearing that there had been no material improvement in the conditions a further extension of time for payments until the 1923 anniversaries of the dates of the purchases and entries was allowed on certain conditions to certain purchasers and entrymen by Proclamation dated July 10, 1922 (42 Stat., 2281);

And Whereas, it appears that while there has been some improvement in the conditions existing on the Reservation there are still many purchasers and entrymen who are unable to make payment in the manner required of the aforesaid Proclamation.

Now, Therefore, I, Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority conferred in me by the said Act of April 27, 1904, do hereby order and direct that any purchaser or entryman of lands within said former Reservation who is unable to pay the purchase money due under his purchase or entry made under the said Proclamations of September 28, 1914, or the said Proclamation of April 6, 1917, upon filing in the local land office an affidavit corroborated by two persons setting out his inability to make the required payment and the reasons therefor shall be granted an extension of time until the 1924 anniversary of the date of his entry or purchase upon the payment to the Receiver of the district land office of interest at the rate of five per cent per annum on the amounts extended from the maturities thereof to the expiration of the period of extension. The district land office will promptly notify all purchasers and entrymen entitled to the extension of the manner in which it may be obtained. If the affidavit is not filed and the interest paid within thirty days from receipt of notice, or if, within such time, the amounts in arrears are not paid in full, the purchases or entries for which the amounts are due will be reported by the district land office to the General land Office for cancellation.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington this eighteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord Nineteen Hundred and twenty-three and of the Independence of the United States, the One Hundred and Forty-Eighth.

CALVIN COOLIDGE

By the President:

CHARLES E. HUGHES

Secretary of State.