The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1902-08-23


try, and If it is right, and what woul,
the horny-handed man get? II,
would be told no explanations wer,
due him, and if he is looking for in
formation the government run
bureau" for just such cases.
Indeed he would be fortunate II h,
didn't fare as uId Private Geo. w
Peck, when he was putting down the
Rebellion. He entered the generals
tent to explain what was the next nee
essary move for the army to make in
order to clean out the whole Southern
Confederacy. When the general got
through with Private Peck, Peck de
cided that the general, the army. and
the whole country could go to thun.
der wherever that was) for all he
cared. So the horny.handed son OF
the soil could thank his lucky stars If
he got out with anything except his
vote. OF course, they wouldn't take
that, just then.
The forest reserve is the latest
thing attracting attention in the timber
line. In a few years, at the present
rate Oregon will be a collection OF
reserves" and will be so thoroughly
reserved" that the proprietors will
simply prefix that little thing called
pre-" and then we will be known
way back East as a new country.
Under this reserve" system can be
operated the most damnable frauds,
and the people robbed, pure and sim.
pie, out of their great and resourceful
state, of which they have been Justly
proud All this can he done legally" ="
50 far as technicality Is concerned. but
morally or in accordance with the in.
tention of the law, NEVER. There
will be a day of reckoning with the
common people The day of reck-
Jning is now an incident i'm the life
If q corporation, but later II will be an
vent in the history of the people Of
Oregon.
II is not right for millions of acres
{ the richest lands in the state 10 be
controlled by a corporation. II is not
he intention OF the law that il should
1e so owned Through technical ad,
mnistration of those in power, those
Who represent the people in these mat.
ers, the corporations have now Sc
ured control Of all the available tim.
Der and the bulk OF the timber lands
n Oregon. This would never have
happened had the representatives OF
he people insisted upon the primary
lights of the people. This question is
low before the people. 1t is an i'm,
lortant one.
To illustrate the forest reserve"
practice, we will say a corporation.
hrouh one of It's agents, selects
arge strip OF territory Of rocks, sands,
Inything but good land. The poorer
he land the better Generally il will
~ a mountainous nfAfAAlbls llt COT |
,oration then secures settlers to go |
m these barren hills and prove up on
hem. After proof has been made !
he corporation or company, will have |
piece OF land fifteen or twenty |
niles by forty or fifty miles long (the !
laims having been signed over TO itl
~ these settlersl and composed OF |
Iothng but rocks and probably some
rush, second or third growth timber I
iaving possession OF this land the |
ompany is ready to begin business.
l silence follows here Next thing |
We know the government has ere
ted" a reserve" in a certain section
# the country and il will be found To
over this land, Well, OF course. after
he government has so bemeaned H.
elf to take this land away from one |
4 our modern enterprises, without its /
consent IL becomes incumbent upon /
ne government 10 reimburse these
To pay them back for
What they have spent in settling up
he governments country. In short |
o be fair with its subjects, else they /
night go somewhere else TO live In
ettling with these companies the gov
rnment issues 10 them what is termed
script This is worth at the least
$3.50 an acre. This
script is certificate from the gov
rnment and will cntitle these compa-
les on the holders 10 select and other
inds in the whole country, in lieu OF
hose the government so unceremoni- |
usly took away from them" in order
D have another reserve" which the /
tate was famishing for and without |
'hich il might be expected the people 1
iould declare cecessiOn The gov \
rnment stands, you see, between two
res The people must have re
eryes' and the corporations and rail
Dad companies must have home
teads You can understand why.
'hen you once understand that rail
Dad companies must have people liy-
lg in this country else no one would
n there 10 ride on the cars. The com
any wants the lands settled up 20 get
nore car fare but then the people
re stubborn and want reserves" q