New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-01-11
A VINDIOATION or SPARKS.
HIS DEFENCE IN A WASHINGTON PAPER.
LACKING THE CONFIDENCE OF HIS SUPERIOR OFF,
CERS-CONTRADICTIONs,

CONTRADICTIONS.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 10 (SpecidD The editor
of The Capital possess sflluence OF knowl-
edge respec ting the channels into which Washington
lobbyists best direct their energies To-day
erouey shares part OF his information with the public
Among other things he says: Commissioner Sparkss
war on fraudulent land schemes involves vast amounts
of money and seriously intereres with the business
some very rich men, especially with attorneys who have
done thriving business heretofore with the Land OF
hce We are tod that there plenty Of money to be had
by those who can do anything to influence the
Administration Congress against the rulings and
methods adopted by the Commissioner OF Public Lands
Newspaper dispatches attacking General sparks, 1t Is
said well paid for II those who them know
where to make the proper connections" The capital
OF last Sunday contained paragraphs reflect
ing severely upon General Sparks. To-day 1t pub
fishes two-coumn defence OF him. entitled General
sparks's great fight" which have been written
inspired by the General" himself for in
place 1t says that "he has not
the President for three months except when he paid
had one interview with Mr. Cleveland previous to the
ISSUANCE OF his order snspendns the granting OF land
subject to the President as fully as
gOs.O Is, another place the article
as Is well known. the entire confidence and support OF
OF his superior officers" The burdeh OF the publi
gagged in desperate fight AGAINST fraud $780,,
Ii would be interesting to know which OF his "supe-
riOr Officers IN Sparkss OPINION Is not giving him his
centre support "in this terrible contest Is it secre-
tary Lamar Assistant secretary jerks Assistant
secretary Muldrow The article ASSERTS place
that " the principal interests affected by the rulings
companies IN another place that the only opposi
ton to the order snspendng the issue OF patents under
the Homestead and Presumption laws comes from syn
dicates OF land grabber and that there absolutely
no opposition to the Suspension OF the issuance
OF land patents In the prescribed area from honest
settlers" This Is a strange statement. to say tbr
Sas IN N yf% Of tine tine fact mat some 1000
pended. But General Sparks explains it, The article
says: The honest settler his homestead. No one
can take 1t away from him. Thousands OF claims have
descended from father 10 son without patent ever
arpy for them because they may thus
'scape local taxes 1t Is rather difficult to
be less anxious to escape local taxes than Is the hon
or course 1t is the duty of the commissioner to prevent
frauds upon the public lands but 1t not his duty TO
brand as seoundrc every settler upon the public do
Territories, especially when the records of
m, GG SsD showed %S State. nat h frauds SSD
The his defence IN The Capital il found
In the fact that under the pressure of public opinion
has recently kept force OF clerks at work day and
night on the SUSPENDED entries in part of Dakota
ANOTHER VIEW OF THE LAND GRANT
SUGGESTION FROM THE OFFICIALS OF THE
NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD.
ST.. PAUL, Jan. 10 (SpeciaD. -Re garjing the
report Washington Land Commissioner Sparks
had recommended the bringing OF a suit against the
Northern Pacific Railroad Company selling timber
public lands in Washington Territory whicn claimed
indemnity lands, but which have not been approved
to the company, Colonel c. b. Lamborn land commits.
OF company said: "The Northern Pacific
has made selections indemnity lands accord
With the rules and instructions Of tho secretary OF
the Interior oee ut tho time when the selections
made. The lists OF selections accepted
by registers and receivers OF the several
land Offices in accordance with the orders
then The Northern Pacific has paid the fees of
aulr "a De-
ary Interior these selections the amount OF
700. and holds receipts for this money which
has been paid to the Government. The indemnity Sc
scons made In 1888, 1884 and In the first half Of
1883. In 1855 the present Commissioner OF the General
Land Oice issued Instructions. requiring that q
list OF the lands lost should be fled with
tho indemnity selections. Unaer previous
Instructions such list OF losses were
not required grant OF land the Northern Pacific
Is grant OF definite quantity OF land for each mile OF
road constructed and is provided in the charter Of the
company that IL this quantity does remain open for
the company within the limits OF grant. 1t may
lands sufficient make up these losses from
oddnumbered sections within ten miles on each side
of the granted lmts As the iOss OF Lands within tho
grant Of the Northern Pacific, Dy reason OF prior
homestead presumption entries, Iudian aud military |
reser, ations. aud mineral lands, seems likely 10
exceed the amount OF all the odi-numbered sections
within the tcn-mile indemnity strip. Is difficult 20
wherein the selections heretofore made are not entirely
satisfactory The charter Of tho company expressly pro
yles that the land shall be surveyed as fast Us the road
Is
River for twelve and yet all lands in the grant IN
Dakota east of the Missouri not yet surveyed and
more than one-haf within the grant west OF the river IN
Dakota aud In Montana, SIN unsuryeyed. Untt the
survey completed by the Government. II Will he |
impossible for railroad company To make out the
showing the lands to which II L. entitled within its
grant 1t eau only make these lists as fast as the lands
are surveyed. Unt such selections made II I'M
possible designate the tracts OF Land which lost
within the grant for which indemnity lands may be Ia |
ken. II the Commissioner OF the General Land Office |
VIII take such measures win secure speedy survey
lands within tho grant OF the Northern
Pacific so that the company make seicctiOus OF |
such lands granted 10 IT, and ascertain exactly
what lands lost he will facilitate the selection of IN
dennity lands materially The railroad company Is ~
nu xuus SIR. sparks can be to have these questions
settled"