The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-12-06
LAND OFFICE FRAUDS.
No Wonder President Cleveland
Wants Special Court
TO SETTLE LAND CONTEST CASES



I Cssyslana's message throws laght upon .
promised scandal in the interior depart
meat. lis proposed by the legal depart
snent at the state capitol 10 prove ~ the
late legal adviser Of the genera land ofaes
Of the United States that corruption exists
in that department, and that .'1usEsce has
been bought and so!d like wheat. " such
being the exact words Of the late counsel
Of the land ofssee. according 70 Attorney
General Jones, Of this state.
For several years there has been per-
sssssnt attempt to wrsst school section IL.
located in the southern part of this city.
from the state and tnrn IL over 20 John 6.
Mcbride and others as placer Claim
When thl. litigation was begun the
school section, being nicely located
ard good inside real estate, was
yaiuea at s. GO. co At present IL would
probably 60 under the hammer for 80
COO Bat the sGats does not propose 10
sacrifice Il ia case Il secures possession.
and In order TO avoid the reported cor
raptIon In the general land Office IL IL pro-
posed 10 bring the case before the United
states District court for this state on
motion TO set aside the rulings OF the
Olympia land Office in favor Of the grab
bers. This decision was reached before
President Cleveland approved in his mes
sage to congress that the important
matter OF deciding on land contests
should be taken out Of the hands OF the
department under Hoks Smiths COM
mand, and BE vested in q non-partisar
court This in considered very significant,
under the circumstances.
When the second Cleveland administra-
- la
Sweets present Law partner was the legal
adviser Of the general land Office. lie
told Attorney General Jones, Of this state.
that be resigned rs such because of the
corruption in the office This state OF
things has resulted. according TO the close
friends of the school land fund managers
of this state, from the continuance ia Office
OF the chief clerks and officers in the gem
sral land Office under civil service rnles,
until thew are perfectly familiar with not
only the duties OF the office, but with the
attaches OF other departments and attor-
news having business TO transact with the
department
This familiarity. Ii Is claimed, results In
the chief officers knowing just how far to
push matters in which they are interested.
This also. it Is cited. has resulted in several
coming interested an the school land steal
IN this state. At any rate. the late legal
adviser of the department, as stated 10
Attorney General Jones. became disgusted,
and. rather than become involved IN cor
rnption. resigned, because, As he said,
Justice was bought and sold like wheat.
Gov. MeGraw. the states legal depart
msnt and all the officers and miners en-
ployed by the state in making certain tests
last summer for gold eolors on section 10
agree that there is on foot an attempt 10
actually steal the land from the state and
deprive the school fund of one Of its most
valuable properties in the state.
Worse, even. was the sending here by
Secretary Hoke Smith OF man who.
according TO unbiased men, Was interested
in assisting the school land grabbers Gov.
McGraw's prompt protest In this import
ant case may have had considerable 10 do
with aronsing President Cleveland.
through Secretary Smith, to placing the
important business Of passing upon land
contests in the general land office in the
hands OF a competent non-partisan court
In view of these facts. the reference to
the matter OF land contests by President
Cleveland in his message is of grave im-
portanee 10 this state.
Attorney General Jones has returned
from Olympia and when asked about the
case said:
Il am opposed to trying the case in the
newspapers. Al present do not expect
1T viii be necessary'to go further shan the
general land office.
The case has been appealed 20 the gen
eral land ollee. and IL is understood. If
the state does not secure possession OF
section IN there. the case Viii be brought
into the United States district court Of this
state 20 set aside the findings. Thus the
method Of procedure has taken slight
change. Should the case finally come
hack TO the Federal court Of this state ex-
legal Adviser Steel. OF the general land
office, will he called 90 testify. lie is now
located at Moscow. Idaho.
Many lawyers IN this city Who have had
experience before the general Land office
say the proceedings OF that office are con.
Trajectory and ridieuloas. Many hearings
On important laad cases are declared 70
be simply fsrees. The non-partisAn court
Is generally favored bv la@yerx here.