, 1890-06-18
He DIDN'T KNO ""

Delegate Carey writes a letter 20 Regis
ter Champlin in which he denies that be
was present in the house when the
infamous arid land law was passed as a
rider to the appropriation bill. A poor
excuse is better than none. We have
always been under the impression that the
delegate was elected to look after the in
terests of the people OF Wyoming in CON
gress but thus may have been a mistake.
II is = mighty poor excuse for the dele
gate to alleRe that he wasn't in the house
when the bill passed. for it was his BUSH
ness to have been there. but, as we nave
said, a poor excuse is better than none
and if the delegate is satisfied with this
perhaps the people have no cause to CON
plain.
We do not r~ecollect, however. that two
years ago this coming fall when the dele
gate was stumping the territory for re-
election that he ever put forth any such
plea On the contrary our recollection is
quite distinct that be prided himself upon
the aid which he rendered in securing the
passage of the bill.
By this as it may, however, in July.
1889, a committee consisting Of Delegate
Carey. Prot. Mead and j.. A. Johnston
formulated a series Of resolutions on this
very question, which we're forwarded to
all public bodies 10 the West, The rcso.
lutions were called out by the letter Of
Secretary Noble in which be construed
the law to mean that arid lands in the
West had been entirely withdrawn from
the moment the law went into force. This
letter was drawn out by the report of
Governor Shoup, Of Idaho, that in VIC
lAiion of the law lands were being pre-
empted by spectators along Bear river.
In the circular letter drawn by the com
mittee. of which Delegate Carey was a
memb-r, it was strongly urged that every
possible influence be brought to bear upon
congress to secure a modification or repeal
of the law, aud with it was n suggestion
that the best way out OF the difficulty was
for the general government to turn over
all It's rights in the ard lands to the locaI
state governments. The mater at that
time created u pruioun sensation. Its far
reaching naueuce for evil was appreciated
by everyboiy Is. Secretary Mobiles letter
made it pe itcuy clear that under The Law
nearly ever, available DOT Of public land
ia Wyoming tai been withdrawn frbL
SIT emrnL- Every bOiy r alizei that thi,
meant the almost total Cessation Of cmi
sr ton To the territory and a paralys Is II
development which would have fallen bu
little short OF humiliation.
To ali appearances Judge Carey slS
the mater IN exactly the same light wh-I
he returned from here TO the scene Of hi
labOrs Ia Washington. For this reason
it is only natural To inquire what judy,
Carey has been doing for the past wear II
this grave Wyoming crisls2 Admit
ting that be was not present in tn,
house OF representatives when this mos
deadly blow was aimed at his own con
stituency; admitting that be did not ap
preciate the drift Of the law, the provi
sions of which are us plain as a newl!
painted red wagon 10 a deserted street
what has be been doing during the pas
year to mitigate the crushing blow aimed
at the very vitals OF the territory?
In answering this question he can mo-
screen himself behind his usual "didn't
know" plea nor squirm away from it b,
turning q sharp corner. During Jul,
and August of last year Western papen
were full of the subject. On August q
THE LEADER had an interview with tn,
eI-commissioner of the general lane
Office. MI. Stockslager, in which he CAV,
the same Interpretation to the law as die
Secretary Noble. This paper then said
According to this Interpretation Dele
gate Carey. the guardian of Wyoming,
will have work before HIM in having tbi,
Law modified at the neXt session. Al be
was In congress during the debates ovei
the bill last year We are mildly surprised
that he ever permitted it to pass.
Delegate Carey's fretful letter to the
register of the Cheyenne land Office only
demonstrates more conclusively than ever
that the delegate never gets a move on
himself In any matter Of vital importance
to the people of Wyoming until be i,
forced To do 70 by the pressure brourhl
b bear on him from this end If the line