The herald., 1896-08-07
PUBLIC LANDS

II is 70 be regretted that the officials
Of the general land office, who at rare
intervals visit this coast. should go
about with the railroad people only.
This course is highly prejudicial to the
fair and just administration OF the iand
business of the United States. The fed
eral land officers have gradually as
sumed judicial powers and. i'll fact, eN-
ercise dictatorial powers that, by fea-
son of the poverty of the settlers on the
one side and the vast wealth and immor-
al use of this by the long grant corpora
ton on the other, mean flnallty When
the decision goes against the settler'
Great care is consequently demanded
from these land officers to prevent 1n1us-
tice. Commissioner Sparks was a man
Of the people. who courageously stood
for equity in his land office administra-
finn The same forceful and honest
course was expected from $. W. Lamor-
eaux. In this the people have been dis
appointed. Not. indeed, that this gem
tlen1an is not honest, but that he taxes
no proper pains to inform himself as 10
the Pacific coast conditions. During MS
recent visit to California neither settlers
nor miners had an opportunity TO pre-
sent the true condition OF al
fairs to this powerful bureaucrat. La
moreaux remained with the railroad peo-
pie: he saw with their eyes, and. as
consequence the corporation is rushlng
through patents for some 600 600 acres of
land in this state on their agricultural
land grant. A large part of this is
win n he
land. exempt from the grant. The min
ers' request is reasonable. All they ask
is that the lands in question DE nrst
passed upon as to their mineral charac-
ter before patent is issued. Nothing
could be fairer but the railroad does not
want to be fair. 1t wants the mines
Justice demands that not another acre
of the public lands should be patented
TO the railroad in this state. The rail-
road has been shown by Attorney Fltz-
gerald 10 have violated the constitution
and to have forfeited its franchise. OUT
side of this, il is deliberate defaulter
in its obligations to the United States.
1t has constantly evaded the payment
of its debts to the American people,
while vet dividing its enormous profits
to its stockholders. And. worse than
that. it has been charged with collision
and fraud in procuring the postpone
ment of the first mortgage lien held by
the United States without any reason.
except to secure the corrupt division OF
the proceeds of another mortgage made
saleable by the collision of railroad con-
gressmen. While these debts to the peo-
ple remain unpaid. not an acre of the
public lands can rightfully be given the
railroad. If LamoreauX and other land
officers of the government would come
out into the field and would interview
the people as we'll as drink champagne
in the private cars of railroad magnates,
they would never have permitted the
wrongs and rank injustices of the Unit
ed States land Office to have been COM
mitted An honest and humane commits
sioner would never have allowed the
government power to aid the railroad
! in the unjust and cruel seizures of the
public lands in the Mussel Slough dis
! trict. The murders committed in tina
district included fathers and supporters
of families. shot down on the doorstep!
of their own homes-homes created by
their efforts in whaN had been desert
The whole Mussel Slough land robbery
was a disgrace to the justice of the
whole American people II is these rank
procedures done on the government 5
blind side that have created the oppo-
sition of the people of this statel to the
railroad. Let the family men and home
makers Of California realize that their
own safety requires that these abuses
come to an end. If LamoreauX had Wis
tied Los Angeles he would have cleared
his mind of many misconceptions. He
would have seen, for instance, the pro-
prety and advantage of opening San
Clemente to settlement.