Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-10-15
THE DISMISSAL OF COMMISSIONER
SPARKS


If the Democratic organs in this State
have supposed that the reasons for the dis
missal of ". A. J. Sparks, and the full
political significance of that act on the part
of Grover Cleveland is to escape attention
in this campaign, they are hereby to be
disappointed. Commissioner Sparks took
office under the existing Administration
with the distinct understanding that he
vas 20 be permitted to put an end to the
land frauds, land grabbing and the dishon-
est practices generally which haG for some
years characterized the land policy OF the
United States. No man ever approached
duty more thoroughly determined to dis
charge it faithfully than did Mr.. Sparks.
If there was ANYTHING wanting 10 prove
the utter duplicity and low cunning Of Mr..
Cleveland, it was the manner of Commits
sioner Sparks dismissal. Sparks began the
administration of the Land Department of
the United States by strict enforcement Of
the statutes governing the alienation of
Government land. Ie had rot proceeded
far in this direction before he discovered
that lbe people o! uuis country most iau4i.-
lar with the significance of the policy he in
augurated, best competent to Judge of the
value of that policy, were strongly in SYM
pathy with him. He was proving conclu-
sively the sympathy of the National Ad-
ministration with the settler, and the de-
termination of that Administration to pre-
vent the land thieves from acquiring lands
under false pretenses. After he had ac-
quired high popularity with many classes
he encountered the hostility of the North
ern Pacific Rsilroad, by decision which
may be summarized by saying that it dis
appointed the avarice OF that corporation.
In fact, Mr.. Sparks had for the most part,
hostility of all the land syndicates, all the
usurpers of the public domain who had
inclosed vast areas for cattle ranges, of all
the cattle kings who were driving settlers
off of the fertile lands in Dakota, that these
lands might remain free ranges for the
lordiy herdsmen of the cattle thieves who
had invaded the Indian Territory and were
pastDring the lands set apart and made
sacred for the support of the Indians and,
in short, of all classes whose schemes OF
rapacity and plunder had for their object
the requirement of the land which be-
longed to the whole people; and while al
the very hight of his career, a controversy
between himself and Secretary Lamar was
engendered, fostered and developed by the
cunning devices of the President himself
The Secretary wrote the President letter
in which he declared that Mr.. SPARKS was
acting in au insubordinate manner, and
either prOcCre a new Secretary or a new
Commissioner of the General Land Office
Mr.. Lamar offered himself as buffer be.
tween the President and public opinion
To have discharged Commissioner Sparks
outright would have been to repudiate the
policy he had inauggrated, of requiring the
cattle kings to open their fences, of requir.
ing the great corporations who had received
grants of land to adjust their land grant.
strictly in accordance with the rights Of the
settler. The President was relieved Of all
his difficulty by controversy between tht
Secretary of the Interior and his subordi
nate. In his letter to Mr.. Sparks he in
forms him that the controversy is of a ma
ture which left ground for honest differ
enoe Of opinion. He states that while h,
is about to dismiss him. that the Commits
sioner Will be pleased to learn, as an homes
man, that the policy he inaugurated, anC
upon which q we were all agreed ITO US,
the Presidents language-would be con
tinued in the General Land Office. He also
in dismissing the subordinate of the Secre
tary, hopes that prosperity and success vii
attend all his after life and thus, with th'
blessing of Heaven upon his head, he seize
the mantle with which Commissions
Sparks has enrobed himself, strips him o
it, kicks him into the middle of the street
and reminds him that the policy which h
inaugurated, and upon which Eve wer
all agreed, really originated with his Ex
cellency himself. II was in this manne
that Grover Cleveland commended tn
Commissioner of the General Land Office
approved of the policy he had inaugurated
appropriated all the glory of that policy t
himself, and at the same time kicked tn
faithful servant of the people cut of office
and aprointed the Secretary to a position
on thc Supreme Bench.
To recapitulate, a controversy arose be
tween the Government and land grau
railroad as to whether certain piece G
land should be given to settler or to III
corporation. Mr.. Sparks, after careful re
view of ali the facts, decided in favor G
the settler, and al appeal was taken to Nj
Lamar. The Secretary of the Interior unde
Grover Cleveland. Mr.. Lamar decide
against the conclusions of the Conmis
sioner Of the General Land Office, and il
favor of the corporation. The Commits
,sioner wrote respectful letter protestin,
against the conclusions OF the Secretary
Here was the long-so1ght opportunity G
Grover Cleveland. The Commissioner hs,
dared to file q protest against the action c
his superior. a subordinate had asked tina
the Secretary review his findings, and OF
behalf of the settler presented clear, con
elusive, nnanswe-able argument, thus com
mitting an act OF characterization Th
President, after residing the decision of th
Commissioner, the overriding decision 0
the Secretary of the Interior, the mild aut
respectful protest of the Commissioner, in
forms the latter that ii is his duty 10 sus
tain his Secretary as against subordinate
He does not say the Secretary was right o
that substantial Justice was subserved b,
his decision. He says, in effect: "Th'
only thing / can see in this controversy il
that ii has arisen between nay Secretary o
the Interior and one of his subordinates
and because OF the superior dignity Of th,
office OF Secretary Of the Interior TO that O
Commissioner Of the General Land Office
decide in favor Of the Secretary and
against ihs Commissioner
Such was ihe spirit, if hot the Language
q Grover Cleveland in cismissiug NJ.
,Sa s. I