Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-03-30
Telegrams to The Star.
THE EUROPEAN PROBLEM.
Ignatieff's Mission a Failure.
Russian Understanding with Turkey.
THE SURVEY OF THE PURLUC
LANDS.
A Vigorous Protest for tho Cors,d-
GRAFTON OF the Public Land Com.
mfttee and the Commissioner of
the General Land Office
Especial TO The Star.

Il
SAN FRANCISCO March 30-The Alto O1yj
tornid oday publishes the following editorial
protest against proposition now pending in
Congress, which has been unanimously con-
demned by the state legislature. The editorial
reflects the general feeling of this community
The Alta CUtu0rTtd says: The proposition
made in the bill now before the House public
land committee, to consolidate all offices of
United States surveyors general into one to be
located in Washington city, is one very obiec
tlonable 10 the people of California, partfcu-
larly to those whose claims require their close
attention and frequent presence before officers
OF that department. 1t is anything but salts
factory to such that any of CALIFORNIA; repre-
SentatlveS should favor such uni iuSt measure
such wrong upon the people of this state, and
to those undoubtedly of other states and ter
ritories. The legislature Of this state has Just
unanimously passed JOINT resolution re-
questing their Representatives in Congress to
protest against the enactment of any such law
SGch act as Is proposed would lead to great
confusion In state and federal laws and deciS-
ions in state and federal courts. The effect of
It's passage would be to retard settlement of
publlc lands and survey and development of
mining districts on the Pacific coast. Califor-
MA, OF necessity, must particularly be at
great expense in establishing her title
to various grants made 10 her by Congress-
and her public school land system must be Sc
rlOuSly diSarranged, if not paralyiZed should
the proposed change be carried into effect. In
adjudicating disputes between Spanish grant
claimants and settlers on public lands, MeXi-
vantage over prior settlers, and to such an ex
tent that IL Is strongly believed that the bill
has been gotten up in the special interest of
Mexican and private grant claimants, aided
by a ring OF washington city lobbyists and
claim agents for their own private gains Mem
berS of the bar of California express indigna
ton that proposition so uni lust towards this
state, which furnishes more land cases for ad-
Indication and adjustment than nearly all the
other states together, should have ever been
lnltlated IN Congress. or that it could ever pos
slbly have received the cOuntenance or active
aid OF any respectable official i'm Washington.
1t tlsrepOrted that the present Commissioner of
the General Land Office has stated before the
House committee on public lands that il costs
1Orty-three cents on every dollar expended to
Superlntend surveys under his administration
now. Under the administration of his prede-
cesSof' % as shown by his report for 1872 it cost
ABOUT nineteen cents. 1t Is to be admit
ted that this difference is suggestive
of immediate change. but that change is not
necessarily change of our present land sur
.t!lns system py proposed law, as credit of
time or costs must be allowed the surveyor
general Tor hearing numerous private grant
claim controversies or investigating and ad-
Indicating the swamp land claims of several
states, OF for surveying, locating, and adjust
ing very numerous mineral and coal land
claims under various acts of Congress. Town
site claims have to be examined. passed upon.
and surveyed, and each of these consumes
more time than is necessary in supervising
surveys OF public lands. By the commission
err own showing it will cost as much under
the proposed law as it did cost under his pre-
deceSSor in 1870, but what amount of money
can or will compensate people for the annoy
ance, inconvenience, delay and injustice that
this bill would intiict upon hundreds or thouS-
ands of people, if. unfortunately, it should be.
come law. Our own Representatives in Con
greSS, as matter of course understand the
circumstances OF the case better by far than
can officers in the land Office i'm Washington
particularly as to the peculiar condition Of our
land titles and their surroundings. Some of
these representatives have expressed them
selves freely upon this question before the
latter appears to be SO welded to the idea of
the proposed change that there is danger that
his views may prevail in the committee