The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1893-06-30
FROM WASHINGTON CITY.

Acting Land Commissioner Powers has
rendered a decision in which he orders
cancelled ON the ground OF fraud and coll
lusiOn about twenty-three timber and
stone entries OF valuable timber lands in
the Vancouver land district, Wash, and
now held by ]. B. Montgomery OF Port
land, Or, to whom the lands were trans
ierred Immediately after final proofs
were made.
The board, consisting OF engineers OF
the army and three engineers from civil
life, appointed to examine and report
upon the feasibility OF q boat railway or
some other method of improved nayiga-
tion at The Dalles has submitted its re-
port to the War Department. Up TO the
present time the department has refused
to make it public, because thereport was
ordered by Congress and, it is claimed,
must be made public in Congress.
Enough is learned about it, however, to
know that the boat-railway proposition
has received black eye; also the canal,
which, it is claimed, would cost too much
money. The only scheme recommended
by the board is said to be portage rail-
way. 1t will be almost impossible for
the Oregon delegation in Congress to
overturn this report,
The Department Of State has not been
informed OF the reported purpose Of the
Chinese government to retaliate upon
the United States. evidenced BY the re-
ported prohibition of the purchase, use
or sale oi American kerosene in the prov
ince Of Annoy. Even ii there has heen
such a prohibition, it is not believed at
the department that it can be regarded
as measure adopted in q spirit OF retail
iati0n, but rather as an exhibition Of the
extremely conservative character Of the
Chinese. whose resistance to such an in
novation as the use OF kerosene NAV
have been strengthened by some recent
casualties. Moreover, it is fact that q
mere Viceroy OF a province would scarce
" be authorized to institute q policy OF
retaliation, which would rather be initi-
sted by the imperial government itself.
Secretary Smith was asked the other
day what would be the probable policy
Of the interior Department in reference
to the approval Of lists of Northern Pa
cific lands under the grant which was
not earned in the time specified, but vet
towhich the company assumes title. The
Secretary seemed to be of the opinion
that, the lands having been earned, the
company would undoubtedly be entitled
to them, and that in the approyalof the
lists, unless the statutes said that they
could not be approved il not earned in
time, he supposed that he should not
take that question into consideration.
He intended to follow the law, no matter
what the assumption might be OF parties
interested. He added: There is no
doubt that the building Of the road was
a great improvement. 1t has been OF
vast benefit to hecountry. and the gov
eminent has had the advantage OF sell
ing its lands, and the country has been
settled and developed. OF course, the
road has been built and the lands have
been earned. / shall look into the law
ON the subject before making approval,
and shall act on the law, whatever il is. 2
ltwaa suggested that quite a large party
in Congress was anxious to forfeit these
lands. The Secretary said that he had
heard Of it, but that he would have to
follow the law Congress had enacted
rather than anything that may be in
prospect. The probabilities are that the
lists viii be approved and any efforts
made to forfeit the lands will be defeated
by the Democratic administration, as it
seems to be regarded that the road, even
If it did not complete its line in the time
specified, made every effort to do 10, and
its intention was amply shown from the
fact that the road was really built.