Arizona silver belt., 1888-04-07
PROSECUTIONS THAT ARE E@sssntr,cNs

AteNs shAs
 Eighty odd suits have been entered in the name of the President of the United States against citizens of the third judicial district of New Mexico, for an alleged infringement of the timber law, varying in sums from S350,000 to S75, winch has resulted in a distinctive and hearty cursing of the administration by Republicans as we'll as Democrats. The claim against the Lesinsliy Bros. is $350,00o for timber cut for charcoal and other mining pur- poses at and Tn the vicinity of Clifton. Robert Black, who ran saw mill in the Burro mountains, IS asked to pay to the government Sl3,5O0 Bob says the administration may obtain a judg- ment, but as he Is busted he is now morally certain that he will outwind the decree and, therefore, the |. S. District Attorney will have the satis faction of taking judgment by default, Dan Coomer, another saw mill man, is sued for S56,925 The books of Coomer have been examined by the governments limb of the law, and having discovered the names of Coo mer's patrons, suit was entered against them, also, for having used boards cut from government timber Werefrain from giving names of all who have been sued, for want of space. Suffice it 10 say that only two against whom action is brought are mill men. Miners and builders are also called upon to respond.
 AriEonans will doubtless, also be put through the legal mill for alleged violations of the timber act, and in or der that none might escape Land Com missioner Sparks thumb-screw, he made it incumbent upon saw mlll and lumber men to cause patrons of the mil and yard to subscribe and swear that lumber purchased by them was exclusively for their own use. For ther own use preeiudeS the use of wooden collins, and cl leates a demand for metallic caskets for the burial of persons whose estates justify the out. lay, but the poor, realizing that their wrap?ings Tn the grave will be a dis carded blanket, or a scuffed tarpaulin, naturally shrink when death poises his dart.
 But taking 8 serious view of the matter, If this policy of persecution is persisted in by the administration, it must result in seriously crippllng the mining industry, ot the West, which IS so largely carried on in localities re- mote from railroads and must depend for continuance upon the use of tim Der, in mines and for fuel, cut from government land. tis believed, how ever, that it will De shown, when the cases in Grant county, New Mexico, are adjudicated that the U. $. statu- tary laws do not jasufy such prosecu- tions. The timber cutting act of June 3, 1878 which was Eevsr renes log, would seem to cover the cases in point It authorizes citizens of the Western states and territories to fell and remove for building, agricultural, mining or other domestic purposes, any timber growing sn pubic lands, said lands being mineral. As very large proportion oi timber lands of the West are also mineral it will be difficult matter for the government to secure convictions, especially as the burden of proof rests with it, and the question of law as well as facts must be determined by jury
 No matter what the result of the suits referred to may Do they will en- tall heavy costs upon the Government, and defendants as well, who can ill., afford tue expenses of a suit, even though yindieated of violating the law,