Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1892-12-29
Land Office Patronage.

EDIroR ARcus-In the last issue of the
Montana Democrat there appears an arti-
Gle with the above heading, copied from
the Belt Mountain Miner, with regard to
the publication of fina proof notices from
this Office. In the article the editor of the
Miner charges that / rave seen fit to disre-
gard the orders of my superiors' and init
mates that ] nave some personal interest
in refusing to give notices to his paper for
publication. / desire to explain the case
OF the Miner in the matter. In March,
1892, | received u letter from the manager
of the Miner in regard to furnishing his
paper notices for publication, to which l
replied that l would willingly do so pro-
vided he furnished the land office with the
information required by the General Land
Office Circular a." of July 31st, 1884, as
to the circulation of the Miner. To this
letter from me the manager OF the Miner,
Mr.. Fl. b. Mitchell, made nc reply, but re-
ported the matter to the General Land
| Office, and | received a letter from the Com
missioner under date of May 4th, 1892,
and about the same time ! received an afii-
davit from Mr.. Mitchell stating that the
Miner is a paper of general circulation, but
giving none OF the details called for by the
above circular. / wrote to the Commits
sioner stating in detail what | had done,
and at the same time l wrote Mr.. Mitchell
his afiidav Wit in no sense complied with the
requirements of the General Land Office,
and that l could not give him notices for
publication until such time as he complied
| .vith tho ra1naSf which r bod made 10,
March. / heard no more of the matter
until October, when / received another let
ter from the Commissioned upon the sub
ject. stating that Mr.. Mitchell had again
| reported the matter to him. In reply to
that letter ] again stated what had been
lone by me in the premises, ana what Mr..
Mitchell had lone in compliance with my
request, and asked hat if / was in error /
desired to be set right by the department.
To this letter to the commissioner L have
had no reply, showing that my course is
approved by the department.
In this last letter to the Commissioner,
dated Sept. 4th, 1892, Mr.. Mitchell states
that he has offered to make any reasonable
affidavit | may require, which is false, for
he distinctly stated in one of his letters to
/ Ilt ina It "Satt NV ~ ~ ~ ~
required, except so lar as To swear that the
Miner is "a pap of general circulation. The
charge that | nave seen fit to disregard the
orders OF my superiors is as ridiculous as it
is false. In the first place | have received
no Instructions or orders in the matter /;
and in the next place the department does
not issue orders in that matter, beyond in
structing registers as to their duties, and
seeing that the discretion given them is
not abused. In regard to the assertion
that ! may have some personal interest in
the matter, il is as false as the other.
Mr.. Mitchell pushed his case before the
department until he found that he wo u!d
have to comply with the circular above
cited in order that he might secure any OF
the patronage of this Office, and his refusal
to do so shows, at least theoretically, that
he cannot make an ffidavit as to the cir
~culation OF the Miner which would prove it
to be a paper of general circulation. Hav-
ing failed to mike "A case under the rules oil
the department he takes the underhanded
methods OF an INSCRIPTIONS newspaper
editor. and attacks me through his paper.
Settlers in the western part OF this dis
trict need have no fear that any of their
titles will be injured because their final
proof notices were not published in the
Miner. The letters herein referred to are
on file in the Land office. and are open to
the inspection of any person who desires to
verify what have stated.
CHARLES A. BURG.