Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-12-28
Laud Frauds.
A few months ago, the public was

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assured that there would be some in
vestigation Of the land frauds known
to exist. whereby immense tracts of
the public domain passed into the
possession of wealthy spectators
and moneyed corporations. The
people have waited patiently, but
are still apparently as much in the
dark as before the army of special
agents were sent out to break up the
system. In fact, there seems to be
revival of the nefarious methods
by which vast tracts of So called tim
Der land pass into the possession of
INSCRIPTIONS men, though the agen-
cy of individuals possessed of that
convenient attribute, an lndia-rubber
conscience, who regard the oath re-
CURED as a mere matter of form,
and the proof necessary as a COM
modify to be supplied on demand by
the expenditure of fixed price for
its purchase. 1t is notorious fact
that timber ghts, have been sold
in this community as openly as was
Esau's birth-risht, in Scriptural
times, and for comparatively as ill.,
adequate remuneration; that the
quality Of the land has been totally
ignored, in fact, VI the conscience
eased by the consideration that it
was "unft for cultivation" as long
as the trees were upon it; that the
proceedings for establishing a claim
to title have been of the fimsiest
nature; while the land officers, whose
duty it is to protect tho government
domain, have kept their eyes shut
and their ears closed to the proof
before them and the complaints of
the public. 1t is impossible for an
officer to entrench himself behind
the forms of law and claim that he
has done his whole duty, when the
very air is filed with whlsperings of
:rickery and fraud.
The special agents sent out by
the Government, seem to loose all
zeal, the moment they cross the
backbone of the continent. They
are profuse in promises it is true, but
their official training seems to have
been derived from that school OF pub.
lie functionariss SO graphically de-
scribed by Dickens as those whose
chief endeavor is How Not to Do It.
The Prosecuting Attorney of the
Third District has been many
months trying to obtain an inves-
tigation of alleged frauds in his dis.
trict, without success, and in this and
other counties the citizens have been
assured time and again that if they
would only await the accumulation
of evidence they would be surprised
at the thoroughness and effectiveness
of the labor of those charged with
the work of investigation and re-
form.
Tho people have waited until
they are tired of waiting longer.
They see daily the public domain
passing into the possession of spec
ulators who will in a few years be
able to dictate their own terms for
settlement in the Northwest. They
are impatient Of further delay, and
want the properly constituted au-
thorities to take deliberate aim and
shoot at once or drop the gun.
WHILE everybody, big and little
seemed to enjoy Christmas we'll as
usual, there was much less OF the
ear-splitlng noises which have form
erly seemed to be inseparable from o
proper Observance of the day.
There was scarcely toot Of a horn
nor . squeak of those old-time mon
strosities. which delighted our grand
fathers, in any of the toy.shops
during all that period of expectancy
preceding Christmas, nor have we.
since tho day passed, heard the usual
racket Of bells and horns and drums.
This is a decided improvement on tn Q
past, and may be noted as one result
of the advance of the age. Child
rem no longer play with painted
sticks of wood or noisy piece OF
tin or brass, but expect and receive
toys constructed On scientific prin-
ciples; gifts which instruct while
they amuse. They cost more, but
the benefit derived amply com.
pensates for the expenditure. The
time has passed when the idea. pre-.
vailed that education was to be de-
rived solely from books, under the
vigilant eye Of q Squeers. 1t is not
to DO feared that the world is becom.
ing aesthetic; it is growing more
practical. Utility is blended with
all objects Of advancement, and we
are becoming gradually q race of
scientists.
A WASHINGTON correspondent
notes the fact, which is q subject Of
common remark in that city, that
there are more young men now in
Congress than ever before. In the