Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1886-01-21
MR.. SPARKS AGAIN.

Whatever Mr.. Sparks has done to I'M
earth frauds in the disposal Of public
lands, he should be commended for,
but 30 far as publicly known this work of
detection Of frauds in the land Office It
has been confined principally to the
grants, and in all these cases he has only
been able to raise the question Of fraud,
which never yet has been decided as
fraud in the courts, but still is in chan
cherry. But his order of April ,, 1885,
suspending the patents of thousands of
Settlers in the west, so far as known has
not resulted in the discovery of but few
instances of fraud, which could have been
discovered as we'll without that suspcn-
sioh, and which would have vitiated the
right Of the claimant as we'll after patent
a. before, and been as effective in protect
Ing the governments right in the lands,
without this great burden of months OF
delay to the honest settlers, where no
fraud exists nor can DO found to exist I'M
der the laws. His Interpretation of the
laws against the we'll settled decisions of
the courts, including the supreme court
Of the U. S., seriously effects thous-
aads Of honest claimants, who have ex
pended from $500 to $4,000 each in
making themselves homes, and who are
DOW to be worried by a cloud upon their
titles, greatly depreciating the value of
their lands, and forcing them to the ex-
pense of further proof of their rights,
which the law never did contemplate. 1t
destroys the right Of the settler to sell
that which he has legal right to under
the law, except at great sacrifice, and
subjects him to the terms of the capital
lists and sharpers, if he must sell to get
money to pay his debts. Sparks rulings
don't give man a chance to take the
benefit Of either presumption law or com
muted homestead law unless he has from
1925 to 300 of his own money in hand
at the time he proves. He cannot Dor
row this money and give the lender any
security dependent upon his earnings up
On the lands. Sparks ruling is not for
the poor man, but for the land sharps
and spectators, and it is not for the pro-
lection Of the government, for the gov
ernment has already been paid for the
land, and has given receipt for the pay
ment before Sparks came into Office. The
apologists for this order of April B, 1885
have lodged the question at issue be-
tween the delayed settler and the com
missioner, and been telling the wonders
he has accomplished with the railroad
grants and the cattle kings, which are Of
no vital interest to the delayed titles Of
thousands Of western. settlers. The rail
roads and these cattle kings can defend
themselves with their money, if they
have any rights to defend But the
poor western settler has no money to de.
fend his rights which have been lniringed
upon BY the order Of the commissioner
He is very much in the fix Of the person
who though innocent OF the crime
charged, was indicted for capital otfense
and sought counsel to defend him. He
told the counseljhe was poor and had no
money to pay him. The attorney told
him he had no business to be poor, and
that without money, however innocent
he might be, he would not defend him.
Sparks order of April 3, is not for the
benefit of the poor man, but for the
monied capitalist.