The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-03-02

more melancholy than that charged by
Mr.. Miller as contained in the secretary's
report for 1888:
IF it is the legislative purpose to adj
here to the policy OF preserving the re-
naming public lands for actual settlers,
and to prevent the acquisition of great
bodies OF land in fraud of law by single
individuals and corporations, American or
foreign, sufficient means should be placed
at the disposal of the land department to
prevent the'vast and widespread viola
tons OF law which have been brought TO
the knowledge of this department aud the
notice OF congress"
1t is probable nothing stronger or more
pointed was said during Mr.. Cleveland's
administration. Ii the settlers are so
much more honest and entitled to credit
now, as insisted by Mr.. Miller, than at
the close of Mr.. Arthur's administration,
it must be due to the administration of
Mr. Cleveland. This is a compliment
which, although true to degree, we pre-
sumo Mr.. Miller did not intend. But the
transparency of this "taffy" to the settlers
is made manifest when it is stated that the
present commissioner asks for an appro-
priation of 100000 this year to employ
special agents to investigate cases In the
field as against Sl95,000, the largest sum
appropriated any one year under MIR.
Cleveland's administration. II it is
thought the people can be deceived by
such stuff the mistake will be discovered
sooner or later.
As additional evidence of the statement
that the present policy of the land Office
is to get rid of the public lands, attention
Is called to the scheme advocated by the
commissioner in his last report OF trans
ferring to the states all of what is known
as the "arid lands" which he says was
estimated in the public domain" at 30O,-
100000 acres, 120,000,0O0 OF which he
thinks may be reclaimed
Still another evidence OF this policy may
be found in sec. of the act of March 3,
1891, confirming a large number of notorl-
ously fraudulent entries, in cases where
the land had been sold or mortgaged by
the entrymen.
This was in the interest, not of the
settler, but of the cattle companies and
syndicates, and the banks and loan COM
panies, as it is only entries sold or mort
gagged that are confirmed.
The presumption and timber culture laws
could have been repealed at any time in
the last ten years, il this confirmation OF
fraudulent entries had been agreed to, but
it was opposed by the house and by the
land department, and hence these laws
could not be repealed, although every
commissioner for twelve years recommend
ed their repeal, and the house during
every congress passed bills repeating
them. 1t remained for the last congress
to confirm these entries and send them to
patent without regard to their fraudulent
character.
Inquiries of BIr. Miller.
While recounting the achievements OF
the present administration, and especially
of his own department, it might be well
for Mr.. Miller as encouragement to in
form the public as to what has become OF
the prosecutions of what was known as
the Benson gang" for frauds connected
with the public surveys in California and
other states.
Also why the suits for several millions
of dollars against the Richmond mining
company and others in Nevada, corpora
tons composed almost wholly of foreign
ers, who are charged with denuding the
public lands of timber, were dismissed by
his department, and whether or not it
was with the advice and consent of the
interior department, upon whose recon-.
mendation they were brought.
When these questions are answered
there will probably be others which the
public would like to have answered.
S. Nj. SToCKsLAGER.
Washington, d. c., Feb. %, 1892.