The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-07-02

In every possible way acQuiesced in the
transfer Of title evidenced by that SOL
emn act. Relying upon the action of
the government officials and without
suspicion Of invalidity, successive pur-
have transferred and re-trans-
ferred these lands with covenants of
warranty. and tens of thousands of dol
lars are to-day loaned upon the securi-
ty afforded by these titles. The utter
insolvency Of the company which orig
inally received and long since parted
with these lands, leaves all these par
ties without remedy. In dealing with
her citizens, the government cannot
afford to ignore those considerations
which fair dealing and honor, if not
law, requires in dealings between pri-
waite parties and, except by utterly ig-
noring such considerations. the gov
eminent cannot act upon the Secreta-
ry's recommendation. What then
shall be said Of the conduct of the Sec
rotary i'm making such recommends
ton? If this high official, mousing
among the records of his office, had dis
covered a supposed defect in the title
of an unsuspecting people to their hard
earned homes, he should have re-
manned silent until compelled to speak
and If compelled to speak he should at
once have exerted all the influence of
his high position to induce the govern
ment to confirm rather than cancel
these titles. 1t is not the duty of the
government to reclaim titles merely
because it can, and it was no part of
the Secretary's duty to make any such
recommendation. His action in thus
precipitating a peaceful community in
to all the turmoil, bloodshed and law
less violence, his letter naturally tends
to bring about was wanton, gratuitous
and outrageous.
Let it not be understood there Is the
slightest danger of these titles being dis
turbed. A careful examination of the
grounds given by the Secretary shows
them to be no less absurd and ridicu-
lous in law than unjustifiable from the
standpoint of honor and common de-
cency. But the mere fact that the
head of the land department should
give such an opinion and make such a
recommendation is itself public ca
lamity. In the hegira of adventurous
spectators and sguatters, which set in
from all parts toward Oklahoma, upon
the mere rumor that that country
would be open to homestead and pre-
emptiOn settlement, we have an illus.
tratiOn of what Allen county may ex.
pect as the natural result of the Secre.
tary's most mischievOus and uncalled
for order. What are we going do about
it? Extraordinary evils require extra.
ordinary remedies. Our people should
organize ut once and stand as one man
The very first adyenturer who squats
upon any of these lands should meet
such a reception that he would have nc
imitatOrs. The Acknowledgement at
Washington should be at once wired
to defer action until the people, so vi.
tally intererted, who now for the first
time learn of this attack upon theil
homes, have been heard from. Our del
egatiOn at Washington should be
aroused to a consciousness of the fact
that the time has come when theil
constituency expect something at theil
hands.
That my motives may not be mis-
construed, I will add that, while an at.
torney, am not, nor are any of my
clients to my knowledge, interested in
any of these lands. AS to the compar.
atively small portion of lands, covered
by the Secretary's order which are in
the indemnity or league district,
make no comment. LEX.