The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1896-10-21
HE Is INDICATED.
INFAMOUS ATTACK ON GOV. CLCUGH
CLEARLY REFUTE..
Senator Young and Representative
jacobson, the Authors of the
Hastings & Dakota Forfeiture
Bill, Emphatically Endorse Gov.
ClOugh's AotiOn-Lind's Trumpet
Up Charge Proves u Boomerang.

Appleton, MlQn.. sept. oU-IO Cu0
Public: Our attention has ueen called
to an Inwarranted and entirely
groundless SANDER upon Gov. Cl0ugh,
which Is being spread through the
state by the Democratic state central
committee and numerous scandal-lav-
ing Democratic newspapers, concern
ing the Hastings e Dakota land for
fixture bill, passed at the last session
of the legislature. Representing the
counties where the land involved Is
situated, we were the joint authors OF
the bill; and the fact that no inquiry
has ever been made of either Of us
about the fact of the case. by the au-
thors and publishers Of this groundless
story, shows that obey did not want
to find out the truth. Solely In justice
to Gov. Clough, VIC Gecire to make this
unsolicited statement for the benefit OF
those who care to know the facts:
Under land grant made to the state
in 1Ssjti, by congress. for the benefit of
the Hastings & Dakota Railway COM
pany. about 10000 acres OF land in
Swift, Chippewa, Big Stone and Ste
VEINS counties were set apart for I'm
demnity" purposes. A conflict be-
tween this and another grant delayed
the government adjustment of the
matter until after 1873. It must be
borne IN mind that the state never had
any interest, title or claim to this
tract as state land. 1t was simply a
grant to the state in trust for the rail
way company. and the only question
involved was whether the lands should
60 to the Hastings & Dakota company
or be restored to the government for
the benefit of the settlers who had
''squa1ted" thereon. The congression-
nj grant provided that the grant, when
earned and properly selected by the
company, should be certified to the
state by the secretary Of the interior,
and 1t was thereupon made the duty
of the governor, without any option on
his part. to deed the lands to the rail-
way company. The Hastings & Da-
kota company lost it's che tar in 1887,
for failure to operate :ty line Gf road,
having sold the same to tie Chicago,
Milwaukee & ST. Paul company, and
was given by law three years thereaf-
ter in which to wind up it's affairs and
dispose of it's property. Within that
time it sold all it's property and as
signed all Its claim to these uncertain
Indemnity lands to it's vice presi-
dent, Russell Sage OF New York.
Commissioner Stone, the last Repub-
lican commissioner of the general land
Office, had decided th2t the selection"
made by the company before the as
signment to Sage was invalid. Act
ing upon the strength OF this decision,
and competent legal advice. for the
purpose of aiding the settlers thereon
to get these lands, W. drew and Sc
cured the passage Of the BILL where
by. becs use OF such invalid selection,
the state virtually refused to receive
the lands under the grant, Or deed to
the railway company, or to Sage and
It's asslgnees, and directed the govern
or to relinquish the lands on behalf Of
the state to the government. tut u
the fall of 1894 Mr.. Hoke Smith. the
Democratic secretary Of the interior.
overruled the former decision of Com
missioner Stone, and in November Of
that year certified to the state small
Fart about 5000 acres, Of this tract,
for the exclusive benefit Of Russell
Sage, under the old grant. The Demo
cratic auditor Of state certified the list
to the governors Office to be decided to
Sage, and 1t thereupon became the i'm
perative duty of the governor, IL obey
ing the law, to sign the deed. This
was the state of affairs when Gov.
Clough took the office IN January, 95.
There was no secrecy or concealment
about this matter at any stage. These
facts were VIGOROUSLY Of record and
well known to everybody Interested.
The only people concerned, the resi-
dents on the land, knew that X was
the Democratic administration at
Washington, and not Gov. Cl0ugh,
that had turned them down in the
matter Of the tract of 5000 acres, and
they also knew that Gov. Clough was
compelled. under the law, to sigh the
decd when he did for that tract.
AS soon as the forfeiture bin was
passed Gov. Clough promptly relin-
.luiShed for the state the remaining
IS. QUO acres; but TIE same Democratic
secretary again ruled against the set
tiers. He absolutely refused to let the
state rclinquish. md declared that he
would certify all of these lands to the
state. for the benefit Of Sage, whether
the state was willing to receive them
or not. and thus deprive tho settlers Of
their homes. He has not yet carried
out his threat, and az he recently re-
signed his office to 90 out campaigning
for tree silver" the settlers may yet
get their lands To abuse Gov. ClOugh
for performing his duty In this matter,
ard Obeying the plain direction OF the
law, and 10 add insult to injury by
!, trying to foist upon him the odiunl OF
their own iniquity, is a piece of bold
mendacity never before equalled by
even q democratic campaign commit
zee. -E. n. Young,
j. r. Jacobson.