New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-03-14
TIMBER CUTTING IN MONTANA.
r. BLAINE ARRAIGNS Mr.. SCHURZ FOR EMPLOY
ING THE SPIES HR ONCE CONDEMNED AND FOR
LACK OF PRACTICAL SENSE.

RI.
ING THE SPIES HE ONCE CONDEMNED AND FOR
AIACK OF PRACTICAL SENSE
lBY TELEGRAPH THE TRBUNE.l
WASHINGTON, March Ex-senator Stanley
Matthew'S listened impatiently to the reading of
he Senate Journal this morning and broke i'll
eyera times on the preliminary motions of the
morning hour in order to get Secretary Schurz's
renlv TO Mr. Blaine and to Mr.. McGinnis in regard
, 10 the Montana prosecutions before the Senate.
He began by saying that he would not attempt to
get the Secrctarys reply printed in The Congressional
Record by reading it, as Mr.. Sargent had character
lied that mode of accomplishing his object as a
trick. but would appeal to the Senate to vote it
Indirectly
Mr. Blaine begged him to take notice that he had
supported his motion yesterday, and would again
aid hun to get the communication before the Sen
ate.
1t becoming evident to Mr.. Matthews that his
motion would not prevail, lie was after all. forced
TO read the communication as part of his speech,
which he did, handing the sheets az he read them TO
Mr. Blaine who sat IN front of him. The document
CONSISTED largely of the reports of the secret agent
of the Secretary, detailing his conversations with
settlers whereby he became acquainted with their
tGslness.
Mr.. Blaine took the sheets to his desk and. after
calling attention TO the fact that the Secretary did
forth by the Delegate from Montana read by him
self on previous occasion, and to the further fact
that the people of Montana willing to pay the
price fixed by previous Secretaries and by Mr.
schurzs own Commission, he said that the sole is
sue was that the Secretary had repudiated prece-
dent and adjustments, and arbitrarily fixed
the rate of stumpage at the outrageous price
OF dollar cord. 1t was the wisdom
and practical sense of the Secretary that
he impeached. He called attention to the fact
that from the roof of the Patent Office or from the
seeple of Trinity Church, in New-York, piece of
woodland could be found worth the price charged
BY the Secretary in that distant Territory. He re-
cited the rights of those distant American colonists
and quoted the Declaration Of Independence against
the expressions Of King George in words that char
acterzed the action of this Secretary. so different
from that of those men who heretofore presided in
that department..
Mr. Baifie also referred to the fac3 that the law
places the protection of timber lands in the hands OF
the Secretary of the Navy, good officer whose du
ties should be usurped by none. Either the Secre-
tarv of the Navy inefficient, he sad or the Secre
tary of the Interior was super-serviceable.
He then spoke in detail of Mr.. Schurz's eloquent
horror of the moety system where secret agents IN
formed against rich importers, ana contrasled /,
with the report just read. where secret agents bad
worined from poor settlers information OF the
amount of wood piled in their back-yardS, IN order
10 charge 81 q cord stumpage. He read petition
from the people, addressed TO the Secretary OF the
Interior and 10 tie senate and House of Representa-
tive and, amid roars of laughter, called attention
To- the fact that the Secretary Is held to be the
greater out there. The petition Teclted Inc wrongs
OF he settlersin Montana, aud produced decided
eject Mr. Blaine also called attention to the vasi
e~tcnt Of Montana with lis population OF
c5 o0o Deople covering larger area than
Prussia with its 25,OOO000, and ridiculed
the Secretarys charge of wood rings TO put
M tie price of wood the inhabitants IN country
where the people are widely scattered. and where
any man who has an ox-cart and an axe can 60 to
The forests and cut all he pleases.
Conkng and Judge Iavid Davis laughed and
beamed.
The defence made by the Secretary was SO weak.
fary's want of sound Judgment and practical sense
which resulted in what looks very much like harsh
ness and oppression III Montana, that Mr.. Blaine
evidently mad the Senate almost unanimously with