The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-03-17

sEAT,rrE, WEDNESDAY, MARCH n
AN uxcALLEp FOR SANDER

these degenerate days ~ hNes 1p 10 kaS
reputation OF the past may be Judged from
the following uncslled for and siandeFoas
attack upon the people OF the state Ct
Washington which appeared in its edi-
toriai columns In It's edition Of March 10:
who. then, are the people IN wash
fngfon and the other states about these
reservations who are making their clGm
roar against the act OF the PRESIDENT
They belong no doubt 10 that class OF
timber thieves and pr0spectors and ranch
men who make a business OF appropriating
public land 10 their own uses without an-
thority or expenS. and II Is SUPPLYING
that they have influence enough In con
sress 90 force an amendment into one %
ahe appropriation bills. The movement 10
nuliify Mr.. cieveland's act represents that
spirit Of ruthless exploitation and desirue-
ton which has characterized the develop
msut OF our natural resources all over
the country. and particularly In the West,
and which IL Is high time 10 euro. The
waste and ruin have been incouceiyabiy
large already and will be visited on sue
ceedlng generations. and II Is the cham
pions OF this order who now protest
against the withdrawal OF these large sec
lions OF unsillable lands from the reach
Of AK and Are"
II Is rather difficuIt TO conceive Of the
Springfield Republican as exhibiting Grass
ignorance and unreasoniug prejudice In
discussing any matter Of public interest
yet unquestionably both are displayed In
the above paragraph.
The people OF Washington unitedly and
without enc single dissenting voice. are
protesting against the making OF these
reservations. "A these reservations are
ostensibly In the interest OF the people Of
the state OF Washington. IL would seem
that the unanimity OF the protest should
satlsfy any impartial person that there
are very substantial reasons why the
reservation should be vacated. The Re
publican. however. seems 10 be inpervious
90 reason. and peremptoriiy classes all OF
the people OF Washington as timber
thieves. prospectors and ranchmen who
mako a business OF sppropriating public
land TO their own use without authority
or expense"
Republican arises purely from Ignorance.
Il is a duty 10 enlighten that ignorance.
In the FIRST place there are no persons In
the state OF Washington who make a
business of appropriating public land
without authority" Public land can be
no more appropriated In that manner than
can private land. The ranchers and pros
pectors who so on public land either IS
settlers or la search Of mlnes or the pre-
cious metals. go there under q license OF
the government. framed In the Federal
statutes FOR the express purpose OF not
only permitting. bat inviting this ex-
ploration and occupation OF public land
AZ 20 the question OF expense. hundreds
Of thousands % dollars have been sxpend-
ed. az well as the labor OF thousands OF
men, in exploration OF the lands contained
within these reservations. In the search
for mineral. In this labor SEINE OF the
prospectors have undergone hardships and
privations rs severe as any which fell te
che lot OF any African or Arctic explorer
who has reapea wealth and fame from
his iahors Unlike the case OF these lat
ter explorers. the work OF the prospeetora
has uncovered to the world wealth xuf
Gcsent to equip countless Arctic expedt
teas. or to build railroad into TIE hear
Of Darkest Africa But little ~ This
wealth falls. however. 20 the prospector
Being without means TO develop his dis.
coverses. hs Is forced 20 sell his right :ol
what be can get
Again. fer the Information % thu Re
puOiiean Il can be stated that the larEest
OF the reservations. in extent Hale les.
than one-hau as big as the state OF
Massschusoi;s. does not contain within
ats borders any mcrchantable timber a;
all VITA or without a reservation. none
Of the timber would ever fan under IN,
~roodman's Ak. except for use IN timber.
Ing Haines. or building houses 20 saeltel
those working IA the mines. There &,
not o inmeerusn Or timber thieC' whs
has his eyes generously rxed on this rescr
walton. or any part q t.
On the other hand. there are certainly
ten thousand. ard. mere likely twenty
thousand. mineral locations made withr
SIS limits. every era OF whicA location.
waS made in exact accordance wtth IN,
existing LAWS q the un3tea States upas
tho subject or each enc % thess ioca
tiers Il - necessary - sxpend tio yea
fn work. gr total % SO tn al. atte'
which tha iocators have - pay the ertlr,
cess % sarveyirx their claims. TIE lans
ofloe fees ana SO additional IN cash Is
the Url;ed States for each elaia. Asa,
sren tae ORIGINAL eaag % the location
when purchased. cT the ecii. hardship arr
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