Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-03-22
Timber Lands.
A LIVELY DEBATE IN THE House. or REPRE-
SENTATINEs.

propriations reported the following amendment
| And, provided further that where wood and tim
| Der lands in the Territories of the [ nited States
are not surveyed and feled for sale in proper
subdivisions convenient of access, no money here
| in approp lated shall be used to collect any charge
| for wood or timber cut on public lands IN the Ter
ritoles of the United States for the use of the &C
tua settlers 10 the Territories, and not for export
| Mr. Beck moved to amend the last line of the
amendment so rs to read mot for sale or export,
and in support of the amendment argued that men
| should not be allowed 10 20 upon public land and
make timber an article of merchsndi,e. lie ia
vored the limiting of the cutting OF wood for &C
| tual use only.
Mr. Blaine said the effect OF Mr.. Beck amend.
| ment if adopted, would be TO prevent any man
| using wood unless be cut It himself. He read
from a recent interview with the Commissioner Of
the General Land Office, Published III the New
York Tribune, 10 show why settlers should be al
! lowed the use of timber, &c
| Mr. Dawes opposed the amendment of the Com
| mittee on Appropriations, and argued that every
means should be taken to prevent people from
plundering public lands of timber
Mr.. Teller said that he had noticed that when
ever a measure was proposed here for the interest
of the West, the men who lived the greatest dis
lance from the West Cooking toward Mr.. Dawes
were the first TO oppose It and talk about thieves
and punderers. There were no wood rings" in
Colorado, and he (Teler) did not hesitate to de-
IL,
trary Notwithstanding. Ii the Senators who OPP
posed these matters presented for the benefit of
the West would take the trouble to inform them
selves of the actual state OF things in that section
thew would not talk so much about thieying and
robbery.
After some further discussion Mr.. Beck mod
| fed his amendment so TO provide that no mon
| ey of the amount appropriated shall be used TO
collect any charge for wood or timber cut on pub
lie lands in the eritories of the United states
| for use of actual settlers in the Territories, ard
not for export from the Territory where the tim
Der grew.
| Mr.. Blaine said that he would accept that
| amendment. He glad that the pending
amendment precisely and literally formulated the
| issue that had grown up on this question. la
bored attempt had been made to impress the coun
| try with the belief that 10 this Senate Chamber
the timber thieves of the country found defenders
and spologists, and under this cloud of misrep-
| resentation the real issue which be raised against
the Secretary Of the Interior was sought TO be OBJ
| scured, and IN the administration of the law the
| Secretary of the Interior had not been able to
di ,tngush between those that cut masts and spars
from the public lands on Puget Sound, in the Ter
| ritory of Washington, for export 10 Europe, and
the settler in Montana who cuts timber to con-
struct residence or chop wood for his winter,
| fire. The section now under Consideration con-
tains an appropriation for detecting and prescott
| ing the one, and it contains provision declaring
that the other shall not be disturbed. | support
| both. am for prosecuting the timber thief, ana
protecting the settler, and this amendment, if it
prevails will force the Secretary of the Interior
| 10 do the same. The anne dment only guaranteed
to the settler in the Territory precisely what he
had enjoyed from the foundation of the govern
| ment. precisely what the early settlers in Ohio
| Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, WISCONSIN, Alabama
Mississippi and Arkansas had all in turn enjoyed
and that privilege was simply only that until the
timber lands were surveyed and offered for sale
the Territories. the actual settlers IN cut
timber for their own use, and not for export
That was all the Montana case presented; that
was all for which he had contended.
Until lS49, when the Interior Department was
organized, the public lands were under the Treas
ury Department. They were administered by
Alexander Hamilton, by Samuel Dexter. by Al
bert Gallatin, by William ii. Crawford. by Rich
ard Rush, by Louis McLane, by Levi Woodbury.
and by Robert j. Walker, and under each and
every one OF these great men the rights und pnvi.
leges now commended for We're ALWAYS freely given
to the actual settler in all the Territories Of the
United States, and it has been the same since the
public lands were transferred to the Interior De
partment, and he was sure that from Alexander
Hamilton down to Zacharah Chandler the usage
toward the settler in the Territory was uniform
and unbroken. 1t was left for Secretary Schurz
to inaugurate a totally different and in his judy
ment totally ndefensbe policy.
He regretted sincerely that such i-judged and
incorporate expressions had characterized many
newspapers in the East in regard to this subject
They treated all settlers 10 the territories a.
thieves, and they arrsigned him personally
Though that was of small account) as a defender
of the worst elements of Western society. East
ern papers which indulge in this foolish line of
contempt little imagine the harm they do in thus
characterizing entire communities in large terri
tories as the worst elements OF Western society
Another paper, intending to reflect on myself
speaks OF these settlers as my "cliens, using the
word in al obDoxiously offensive sense; but ac-
cept the word, and shall only feel 100 proud if the
hardy and heroic settlers distant territories shall
consider themselves INV clients shall only fee
too proud to appear for them ia any court or be
fore any presence, and to relieve them, 50 far as
can, from any oppressive exactons which ire
sponslble agents may ntlict on them.
Mr.. Eustis said he would vote against any ap
preparations TO pay the Special Agents of the In
tenor Department who were engaged in the bust
ness OF discovering and prosecuting persons
charged with trespassing on public lands. TheA
agents. instead Of being rewarded, as suggested
by the Secretary, should be dismissed with dis
grace from the service. He cared not how severe
the words OF rebuke were by the eloquent Seua
tor from Maine Blaine, and be (Eusti.) knew
that the country, when the history of this timber
business should be fully developed would
promptly condemn the conduct of the Secretary
OF the Interior. lie then referred to Carter the
special agent OF the Interior Department sent to
| Louisiana, and said he could hardly bell, We the
Secretary of the Interior knew of all his acts 10
regard to the timber seizures In that State The
property Of the people of Louisiana WAS seized,
and IA less than a hours the owners were reduced
TO beggsry and starvation. The people absolutely
knew nothing Of the proceedings ordered by the
| Department of the Interior, which were of a
! despOtic cha acter. SeZuIes were made on in.
formal legal papers.
Mr., Dawes argued that if the legal proceedings
were irregular the judge who issued the writs was
responsible, and not the agent of the Interior De.
! partment.
Mr.. Christiancy argued that the course pursued
| 10 Louisiana had no bearing whatever upon the
| course pursued IN Montana 1t was not to be ex.
pected that the Secretary of the Interior could
| have personal knowledge OF every act of timber
agents The Senate would not have heard ali
these charges to-day had it not been that there
was more feeling against the Secretary of the In
terror than for the poor settlers.
Mt Sargent spoke Of the timber in the Western
states and Territories, and said that there was
more lumber upon the mountains Of California thai
thefe was when the state was settled, because the
people had preserved it from fire. Upon the prin.
ciples which the Senator from Massachusetts
NDa"es) had advocated, the State Of Massachu-
sets never would have been settled. Provincial.
Ism was the curse Of this country. When he (Sar.
gent should be asked 10 vote for SIS 900 900 10
pay the fishery award, he would not say ~. ~ H. q