The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1891-11-14
THE DUTIES OF UAGINNTS.

Under the above caption the Inter
Mountain v~ouchsafcs the information
that: major Maginnis is drawing a
salary of $4,000 a year for looking after
the mineral lands" Ii then proceeds to
read him a lecture on his duties as view
ed from the standpoint of that paper, in
which the Major is told that: 'hc should
stir up public sentiment. enlighten pub
lie opinion and inform the members of
congress as to what is being done in
this state by the Northern Pacific and by
the people in this important matter"
Major Maginnis needs no defense at
the hands of the tribune or of any 9TH
err journal in tho west as to what he has
done in the matter of securing our min
eral lands for miners. But the TRIBUNE
cannot refrain from noting some Of the
uncalled for or rather misstatements of
the Butte kicker. In the first place the
appointment of MAJOR Maginnis as min
eral land commissioner was conceded by
the Inter Mountain and by about every
republican newspaper in the state to be
the best that could be made. His recog-
nized ability; his intimate acquaintance
with the ms and outs of the circumlocu-
ton offices at Washington: his high
standing among members of congress
and among the officials at the national
capital: his well known influence in high
quarters: his persistence in advancing
the interests of the people of Montana
and his unimpeachable character were
recommendations for the important posi-
ton which none challenged and which
made his appointment a popular n
The law under which he was appointed
fixes his salary at $1,000 Il year not
sG.0OO-and places at his disposal $1,000
for attorneys fees in the event 1t be
found necessary to employ one in the
discharge of his duties. lie has been at
Washington and has held several con-
sultatiols with Secretary Noble and Land
Commissioner Carter concerning steps to
be taken looking to the preservation Of
our mineral lands. He has appealed the
Barden case which was decided in favor
of the Northern Pacific to the supreme
court of the United States and employed
counsel TO push it to a speedy issue. He
has talked with congressman and heads
of the departments at Washington and
enlisted their aid in heading off the
efforts of the Northern Pacific to gobble
up the mineral lands of the west, which
a republican administration threw at its
feet and which republican courts by
their decisions have invited that corpor-
alton to pick up. He has by persistent
work prevailed upon the interior depart
ment to refuse patents to mineral lands
to the Northern Pacific and
ment has been made that such patents
will not issue to the company.
The Inter Mountain knows all this but
as a chronic Pathfinder, and everyday
belly-acher and persistent kicker 1t can
not enjoy good health without scoring a
democrat now and then for fancied short
comings. 1t would send the major out
like a crusader of old, to stir up public
sentiment" open a school at Washing
ton to teach members of congress what
TO do, laid in stirring up the eastern
press to a discussion of the subject" and
prepare pamphlets for circulation
among western legislatures Here is
work enough for half a dozen men but
the Inter Mountain fails to remind San
ders and Power that the people expect
them to do IA reasonable share of it. At
whose door lies the blame if. as the In
ter Mountain says, 1.-The Northern Pacific
land sharks are gradually closing their
jaws on the valuable mineral lands of the
state and are taking in some big slices
"A mile Of the Butte court house."
1t lies at the door of the republican
party.