The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-08
THE NEBRASKA WAR
Both Senators Ask That Col. John
Mosby Be Sent Some
where Else.
The President Says ono and the
Cattle Barons Will Soon Be
Against It.
From The Journal Bureau, Room IS, Post Build

From The Journal Bureau, Room IS, Post Build
ing, Washington
+ Washington, Dec. S.-The famous old
Confederate guerrilla chief, Colonel John
S. Mosby of Virginia, is the latest citizen
with known fighting blood in him to whom
President Roosevelt is giving marked con-
sideration. The president last summer
sent an ultimatum to some cattle Darons
in Nebraska to remove wire fences that
they had built without permission around
great stretches Of grazing lands owned by
the government, or the fences would be
removed by force. One agent Of the in
terror department who was sent to Ne
braska praries to see If the order to re-
move had been obeyed made a false report,
and under charges of having played into
the hands Of the barons was Summarily
dismissed. Thereupon the president sug-
sested to the secretary of the interior tina t
Colonel Mosby, who is on the rolls Of the
department as a public land inspector,
was man. that the barons could neither
bluff nor buy nor cajole. Accordingly the
old guerrilla was summoned from duties
in the Rocky mountain districts to Wash
mgton. The president gave him long
talk at the White House, and when he
left for Nebraska last week he was vested
with presidential authority to get a posse
Of deputy United States marshals and tear
down those fences, and, if the barons
force Of cowboys was too strong, to call
on Colonel Bates, commanding the depart
ment of the Missouri, for a detachment of
cavalry and go after them There Is no
doubt in administration circles here that
Mosby will get the fences down.
The cattle barons are so powerful in
politics that, although congress passed a
law seventeen years ago to remove all un-
authorized fences on public grazing lands
they have not only ignored the law, but
have gone on building fences. Some OF
1> fS,> T.. a
square miles. Their latest scheme tc
prolong the contest against fencing in the
public domain was to hire women in the
slums Of Omaha and a few other large cit
les to pretend they were soldiers widows
any so take up a. homestead claim of 16(
acres and timber claim of the same ex.
tent. then sell both claims to the cattle
barons. One day last summer a single
train on the Burlington carried $50 O
these fraudulent widows to Gordon, Neb.
where they filed claims in the land Office
The barons' agents attended to the details
of selecting all the claims. which explains
why claims are in strips instead of blocks
so they take the land little ways on eacl
side al the unlawful fences only. 1t wa
not expected. so it is said, that thes
claims would stand legal inquiry. TIL,
idea was to precipitate litigation for sew
eral years, then another scheme would b,
worked. In the meantime the govern
sment would refrain from resorting to for
chile measures.
Senators Willard and Dietrich of Ne
-braska, both republican, called on tn
president few days ago and asked as
favor that Mosby be assigned to duty else
where than in their state. The presiden
said no. so some mighty interesting new
is looked for from that state pretty soo
unless the barons lie down.
Roosevelt is not the first president VIII
formed pleasant regard for Mosby Gen
eral Grant. when president, appointed hir
United States consul at Hongkong.
w. w. .Jermane