The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1899-07-19
WASHINGTON STORY
Eastern Senators Preparing 10
Fight Free HOmes Bill.

Wash ngron special 10 the IA Islg
City Star has the following:
Some Eastern senator who hides his
name as II he feared the Oklahomln's
vengeance used in rhe Inte-,)- depart
ment to make trouble for Dennis Flyrr.
territorial delegate and advocate Of free
homes.
When Dennis Flynn ran foe congress
last year his campaign cry was Free
honest and many credit his election to
e. The passage of a free homes bin would
affect every settler in the territory eX-
cept those living in old Ok ahoma It would
mean the saving of from 81 to 81 to every
land owner in Lincoln. POttawatomie.
Washita, Custer Blaine Roger Mills.
Day. Dewey, Woodward, Woods, Garfield
Grant. Kay. NOBLE counties and in small
parts OF Payne. Logan. Kinghsher OK
lshoma and Cleveland counties. Az the
same tine 1t would mean l6 million 1ol-
lars more wealth for Oklahoma a1d
would cost the United States Treasury
40 million dollars for the whole country.
Few western men In congfess oppose
free homes. but the fasteners cant sec
where they are 10 be benefited and nave
made themselves Treasury watch dogs as
idA ea A4lin HeAAAAAAAA hAA - NNAiNNA ~ T.
Most Of the Western States have some
Indian lands and their people would be
glad 80 see them occupied without cost
to the settlers. but the man from tine
cold blooded east wants 10 know what the
Treasury is TO do without the 40 million
dollars expected from the west
Some senator with a railing for facts
and figures started TO ga,her material 70
fight free homes soon after the election
of Flynn. No doubt this representative
of some state Of desen,ed farms knew
what Fynns return 10 congress meant,
and ne decided to be ready f,r 4. The
first evidence of his work was an order
20 Frank d. Hummer. an Inspector in the
Interior Department 10 go 10 Oklahoma
and learn the condition of us people" "
Mr. Hummer asked for more explicit IN
structions and he got them. The eastern
senator suggested them himself Mr..
Hummer Was aold 10 go 20 Oklahoma and
al random choose the names Of four
trymen m each county Then ne was 90
visit the claims Of each of these men,
ana learn their present condition as re-
| CARDS worldly wealth. 10 fact 90 act as
! "a commerce al reference agency for the
/ senator This done. he was 60 isaFft wht'
these men possessed when they came lu
t6 the territory After this Mr. Hummel
| was 90 choose four oher entrymen ID
each county. picking those he consider a'
an average, and then make a complsa
report 30 the comm ssioner general @
the land office for the benefit Of the East
ern senator.
AIr. Hummer was back IN Washing 1
iu about five months lie had driven uF
I er nearly every road Ia Oklahoma and D
mad a typewriter report of several hun
dred pages. The reiOHt gives the name q
each entryman Hummer visited. tells "a
mans financial condition and what d
brought 10 Oklahoma when he took th
, claim. In Wood and woodward count e
IN the grazing countries. the inspecc
found some entrymen stAl living in dul
outs. The InHan lands had brought b
tie prosperity 10 them. These men wei
trying 70 farm IN q grazing country. B
IN nearly every other part 9f the terr tol
p the report says that the eondit ions We
2 neernt. Mr.. Hummer says that
= found few who were not in a very pro
!. porous co-.dliion and most OF these h
= come - Oklahoma without much mo
J. than a span Of mules and wagon.
ls Eaid the senator haa thas report IN