The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1901-07-19
WASHINGTON LETTER.

4 WAOWAlNOAVlN IL ENs
1t seems to be difficult, if not
impossible, for this Administra-
tion to perform any official act
that does not directly or indirectly
open the way for a gang of
thieves to profit at the expense of
honest men. The ink was not dry
on the proclamation for the open
ling to settlement of the Indian
reservations in Oklahoma before
the thieves had discovered way to
profit under the regulations pro-
vided for the opening and started
the machinery for doing so. The
machinery was ready before the
proclamation, as it had been
known for sometime that honor
ably discharged soldiers, sailors
and marines would be allowed to
enter homestead claim in through
anagent, while others could only
do SO in person, and the general
land laws gives ex-soldier and
sailors credit for the time they
served in the army or navy in
order to acquire title, while all
others must reside thereon for
five years. That was all the land
pirates, who are plentiful in
Washington, wanted to know.
They began hunting up the rec
ords of honorably discharged sob,
diers and sailors, with three or
more years to their credit, and to
make deals with them to have
homestead entries made In their
names, and as soon as the procla-
nation was issued they began tel
egraphing the names of these bo-
gus homesteaders to their agents
in Oklahoma, who will file the ap-
plications. Those applications
which draw desirable land in the
lottery to be held next month the
pirates will bold on to by purchas
ing the claim of the soldier or
sailor in whose name it is regis
tered. One citizen of Oklahoma
MIR. Thomas F. Black-who is
now in Washington and who
knows all about the scheme Of the
land pirates, said: "The applica
tions Of honorably discharged sol
dlers and sailors for land will be
many times greater than that of
any other class, bat would like
to bet that there will not be cor
poraps guard of them who will
become settlers or even go to the
Territory"
The only applications for pat
ents that will be delayed by the ac-
tion of the Commissioner of Pat
ents in suspending hearings before
himself and the Assistant Commits
sioner during July and August
are those in which appeals are
taken from the 140 Examiners,
whose workhas not beenan won't
be suspended, and G. A. Snow &
Co., the successful patent lawyers,
say they average scarcely more
than one in each hundred of the
filed.
The popular impression is that
the Bank Examiners, whose bust
ness it is to keep watch on the
doings and condition of the ma
tional banks, are chosen because
Of their expert knowledge of
methods. OF course,
they should be. But Capt. Andrew
Jackson Duncan, gentleman with
o good, old Democratic name and
a big Republican pull, and who
has been a special Indian agent for
four years, has just demonstrated
that the popular impression is
by getting himself APP
pointed Bank Examiner for the
Canton-Akron, Ohio, district,
with no special qualifications for
the place except that be is MIR.
brother-in-law, and
desired the place. Senator "Billy"
Mason ought to be able to
make some use of the appoint
ment, as it was made by Comp
troller Dawes, the Administration
for bis seat in the SEN
ate.
Strong efforts are being made
by the big interests behind the
publications, fake and otherwise,
that are getting the benefit Of the
$50, ,o0o,000 a year the Govern I.
ment loses BY carrying at second +