New-York tribune., 1897-07-31
THEY FIND MUCH TO LEARN
A TALK WITH THE CHIEF OF GOV
ERNMENT BUREAU.
COMMISSIONER HERMANN TELLS OF HIS ENPEhi
ENCE IN THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE

COMMISSIONER Hermann TELLS of hi' HE>' ~
rNcE IN THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE
IpY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuNEI
Washington, July So-A man VINO Is appoii''eu W
take charge of one Of the great admiiisu"''' ~, 80
reaus of the Government in Washington qu'.hls
finds If he Is fit for the place. tha'' 10 i'e.
wide and varied may have been his previous eHperi-
oncos he has many things TO learn. He may even
have beon a member of Congress, for years en-
gagged I'm helping to make and interested III opSe'
ing the workings of laws relating 10 'iie o", ~,
which he has now taken charge ana YET y" WI
discover the existence OF ruies anu .
made in pursuance of those laws ana OF cus'o's
apd usapos which appear to have all the lorce vi
law which had been a sealed book TO MN uuii"s
all the wears Of his service In Congress
A strong and clear illustration OF TINS iao' i g"
forded bv some official experiences Oh the pi'
Commissioner of the General Laho oO "
Hermann had been for twelve years meihoei Vi
a. Hence of Representatives from oregon, ana pe-
fore that had been a receiver of public moneys at
one of the land offices in that state Du',''e me
long term of service in Congress he hao h"u ~ n'uo"
10 do with public land legislation ana WAS p'o'''
familiar with the rules and regulations reia."e W
tho service And yet he had not been ia! IL"
Office as Commissioner OF fuohc L'''
experienced a revelation.
In conversation with Tribune correspondent W.
day Commissioner Hermann said: i 'hi'iN ~
second or third paper laid before me io' NY IS s
nature after I took charge was Il coi''''ui :.
IN the Secretary of the Interior recommending tnat
a license be granted TO a certain person u Gu.
,iobor on four sections of public land IN one oi
the Western States | knew that the Ia" "h'cn
authorized the Secretary OF the interior " pei'
the cutting of timber on the puphc iahos Ny a,,u'
settlers and miners for necessary anu ihu'' ~
useo rover contemplated the granting 10 anypody
os q license to cut the timber from 2'9o acles' ~
ord,,g,v sent for the clerk who had prepared .he
letter and asked him where.he found ,he autIoit =.
to issue such license. or course he 0o"
end Il but he assured me, ana nave ho u0
correctly. that such had been the constructor, y.
tho law and the practice under 1t during the las'
- .ne 10" gove him TO understand that no such
construction OF the law would be allowed pH M ,sc cn
iong as should remain at the head OF ths Uiiiee
E lons ~ a. r. the law permitted such practice
would use all my influence 10 hare II "a an" 'ist heen
he extra session of Congress- which had just pee'
"Tha, incident continued Major Hefmahr; n sirn
".ou~ot me a lesson. ! then decided never W 9is'
any offcial communication. recommendatioiI1 u, G
csion until horoushy Su for IT, and in the case
of decision all the grounds upon when cn iba force
Custom and usage appear cb TO hfVt the framers and
makers of the law never foresaw or eH
ana bc Vou favor the extension of the general public
land asked b. .hs eood Why
such an Extension ought be attended by c0nG
tons and restrictions which coud or nTt pe ana more
accurate information AS it Is, the Mineral ana ana
Town Site laws applicable to Aaskn ana 10
har a
nmblc lands can be obtained by individuaIs OF
Corporations for purposes OF trade ana mded nadn
facturee | do not think anything more is neeueu
now and it would be inexpedient and unwse in In
nv oninon 10 open all the lands 10 entry under lhe
neIneral laws For example. we are informed that
ch deposits Of coal and oil hnye nave 6gen % aT Dot be-
Correct If II should turn out to he correct ana
the deposits should prove to be as rich ana en
tnnsve as they are asserted TO be. proper precau-
ions ought to be taken. in my judgment, TO pre-
vent them from falling into the hands OF ,tnH ieM
;ndjyiduals or a single strong corporation, Whlci
would add one or two more 10 our list OF great
monopolies 1t Is said that the STANDARD Oh Com
nanv has sent an agent within the last three or
four weeks to explore and report on the alleged
oil fields of Alaska. . A.. o,,..,, , o
of an interesting and important question that mas
heen recently raised and upon the decision OF
which good deal depends. is petroleum mineral
in the same sense that coal Is a mnerai. Is tne M
serted and argued by trose who desire to obtain
title to public lands which they believe 10 be OIL
| the negative. and the matter has been carried
higher on appeal