St. Paul daily globe., 1892-07-21
House Committee on Public
Lands Reports on Yellow
stone Park.
The Unrecognized Heir Ap-
parent Accused of Barter
ing influence.
Severe Arraignment of His
Conduct in the Park
Scheming.
Senator Vest and Others As
sail WaShburn'S Measure
as Futile.

WASHINGTON, July 90 Representa-
tive Mcltae, of Arkansas, from the COM
mittee on public lands. today submitted
to the house the report of that commit
tee, which was instructed by the house
to examine and report by bill or other
wise as TO the circumstances under
which certain leases of ground in the
Yellowstone National Park were made
in March, 1889, by the secretary of the
interior to the Yellowstone Park asso-
ciatlOn, and also why the privilege
given to the association in said leases to
transport passengers in the park was
afterwards resclnded and the same
granted to one S. S. IIuntley.
The report says that the secretary
made a lease TO MIR. Huntley for the
transportation business only and with
out any obligation to build any hotels.
and declared forfeiture of the right of
transportation of the Yellowstone Ma
tlonal Park ASSOCIATION without notice,
without trial, or any statement of any
complaints for nOn-uSe or misuse of the
right.
A Political Friend.
Mr.. Wakefield, who had conducted
the transportation business, says the re-
port, is Democrat; Mr.. Huntley Re-
publican, and a personal and political
friend of Russell e. Harrison. son of the
president. The secretary says that Mr..
Huntley was recommended to him by
several senators and congressman, and
once or twice by Russell Harrison. The
committee is unable to find how the
public service was in the least promoted
by the forfeiture.
ain another connection the report
speaks of the friendship existing be-
tween Mr.. Harrison and E. G.. Waters,
the latter having stated to Mr.. Gibson,
the president of the association. that he
and Mr.. Harrison were old friends out
in Montana, and he thought he could
get him to laid in arranging matters"
Waters statements and the report is
plainly eyasive, and with the evident
desire to shield Mr.. Harrison's name.
The report concludes as follows:
"The son of the president is in no wise
connected with the government of the
United States, yet from his relations to
the president he in effect represents
part of the presidential power. Cabi-
net ministers themselves as we'll as
their subordinates, hold their places at
the will of the president, and they, as
well as all other men. may be the recip-
tents OF the executive power.
An Impudent Assumption.
''Up to the advent of Russell B. Harri-
son in the role of an influential go-be-
tween, as the son Of his father the
president, no member of the presidents
family has taken part in the executive
administration of the government. No
statutory law exists prohibiting mem-
ber of the presidents family from SOL
letting fayOrs from Il department against
his enemies or in favor of his friends.
because hitherto 10 such law has been
needed. But lhe improperly of such
acts is too glaring and obvious to re-
Quire any arguments. and when appar-
emily they pass without eliciting te-
proof, presidential or paternal, it seems
fitting that the representatives of the
people should stamp them with their
condemnation.
cit may not be remarkable in mon
archy for the heir apparent to try TO in
fluence officials. But in a republic,
there being no heir apparent, the CO.
existence of facts Warranting the con-
clusion that the presidents son, intiu-
ential only III that capacity. is called
upon to exert, and does exert, his infiu-
ence for corporation dealing with a
great department of the government,
and that about the same time $1,000 of
the stock OF the same corporation is
sought to be set aside for the same son.
this coincidence stands stands out for
legislative condemnation, having eS-
capped official criticism by the executive
department"