The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-12-21
Accuracy Sacrificed by the Interior
Department in Order to
Capture Votes,
Two Cases From the Helena Office
Which Deliberate the Care
lessness of Clerks
Indian Commissioner Morgan Denies Ger
tain Allegations MIR. Carter Makes His
Maiden Effort In the House

WASHINGTON Dec ~ Special. Many
citizens Of Montana were no doubt Ms much
surprised as pleased, by the extraordinary
hrge number of patents that ISSUED from
the general land Office in June, July aud
August last. Secretary Noble SAYS the
average monthly issue of agricultural pat
ents alone during these months was II. ~.
while under the Cleveland administration
the average foI the eleven months ending
May 3, 1881 WAS only i.S7I. As the clerical
force available for the examination of the
records upon which these patcnts were is
sued WAS no creator during The months of
such surprising activity, than during the
preceding yenr; but was in fact decreased
10y reason of the large nninbor of clerks
absent ON their annual leaves during mid
Is, nt least u very natural one. In those
three months there were Int sevonty-cight
working days and hence the daily average
issue of patents must have been il0. The
entire clerical force of The recorders diyis-
ION numbered thirty-four: but with the
special detail madc from other divisions 10
assist IN the writing and rcoordingof pat
ents makmga all due allowance for the absen
tees on leave daring those months, there were
only about twenty-five clerks constantly
employed on that work. Now as each pat
ent after being written must be recorded,
and the record 80 made Ia supposed 60 bu
then carefully compared with the patent,
the clerks working IN pairs in such cxami-
nations, il will readily appear that
accuracy mnst have been hcedlcssly sacridc-
ed t0 speed in such unbusinesslike
haste. The writing. sealing. signing and
recording Of patents Is, however, mere cler-
ical work, hut II IL the examination of the
records upon which the entries have been
allowed that such haste X most ceusurHblc.
and most cncyliabiy result Ia the pateniing
of many fraudulent aud illegal entries NJ
applicant for patent WAS entitled thereto
uni, tho record showed substantial, II not
| vAact, cOmplinLce with the Mw That ia
very many of the custs rushed through go
needle ssly no such compliance WAS shown
may very falrly Toe presumed from The facts
M regard 80 two eases from the Helena lund
oilico upon which patcnis wcru issued IN
june last
I'm the ense of a claim thni had been pend,
luy for several yonrs IN the general land Of
fee at Washington because OF failure 10
cuuply with tho plain requirements of the
statute. letter WAS written to the claim
ant ~ Helena IN February last repeating
the former requirements; hui upon the very
day that the additional evidence callrd for
WIS forwarded 10 Washington. the pntoni
arrived at the Helena loud office the record
upon which II was issued Clearly showing
the illcgnlty of such issue
In the other case an agricultural entry
was allowed and pntcnt ISSUED thereon,
though no none-miOOral affidavit WAS hltd
with the entry ms required ia nll such eases
in Montana, but oven worse than TINT the
patoni issued in June, lsso, IN favor of the
minor hcir ol a man who - tllown 10y iho
record ut the case tu have died in lAli.
n bat WIS postlumOus child, deserving of
record IN medical morals That case TX
said to be one of the most glaring lrauds of
which il is expected that more Will be- heard
hereafter. II two such cuscs nrc ~ soon
discovered IN one land Office, the answer to
the question How did they do itf' IL ns
easy as that to its fellow, "Why did they de-
itf' namely, to influence VOTES IN favor Of
the administration and with reckless disre-
gard OF law IN 50 doing.