Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-22
FENCES ARE TO COME DOWN
Secretary Hitchcock Announces that Work
Will 0ommsncs in July,
ALL AVAILABLE DEPUTIES EMPLOYED
senator Dietrich Gives q Dinner to
n Number of Friends and Sup
porters of the IrrieR-
ton Bill.
(From a stan Correspondent

From a stan Correspondent
WASHINGTON, June 2l.-(Special Tele-
gram )-secretary Hitchcock Of the Inter
Tor department stated today that fences on
the public domain would come down on
July 1 and that he would throw into the
field sixty special agents to enforce the ex-
listing law. The secretary, in speaking
generally Of the moving Of fences from the
public domain, which have been erected by
large cattle growing interests and ranch
men said he appreciated the large inter
ests involved and the immense capital In
vested in the cattle raising business and
that 1t was necessary to supply the needs
Of eighty millions Of people, but he had no
sympathy with the manner In which the
cattle growers usurped the public domain
and that the power Of the Interior depart
ment would be used in carrying out the law
prohibiting the erection Of fences on the
public lands of the United States.
There have been charges made from
time to time" said the secretary, that the
government was winking at the erection of
fences by the cattle growers. This is abso-
lutely incorrect. From time to time off,
GERS Of the Interior department have been
requested to withhold action looking to the
removal Of fences on the ground that con-
gress would enact some remedial legisla-
ton.
Department Opposes Leasing Bill.
at each session of congress we have
heard the same thing stated and at the
beginning OF the present session a general
land leasing bill was introduced, providing
that all the remaining vacant land Of the
United States in sixteen states and terri
tories should be leased for grazing pur-
poses at 2h cents an acre for FIVE years,
with the right to extend the lease for an
other period Of FIVE years. This bill the
department thought amounted almost to the
confscation OF the public domain, and 1t
reported as being unalterably opposed to
the measure. Then a plan was formed to
pass a Nebraska law giving the public do
main west of the Tooth meridian in that
state to the cattle companies under certain
restrictions for grazing purposes, but to
this there was the same objection as to
the general bill. The department is In ia
vor Of some law that will protect the small
grower Of cattle, small ranchmen and
homesteader against the big corporations
that have millions Of capital at their
backs. When such a law is reported the
department will be found actively engaged
in helping its passage. but the law must
give its protection to the homesteader and
to the small grower.
No New Proposition.
THE removal Of the fences is no new
proposition" continued the secretary.
The law has been on the statute books for
many years, but no decisive action has
been taken, except in isolated cases,
against the cattle growers because it has
been a subject which it was thought would
be taken up by congress and the law
amended. Congress, however, has not
acted and the time has come when s2me-
thing definite must be done to check the
aggressiveness of the large growers of cat
tie and on July l the fences will
to come down and we will do what we can
with the force at our disposal and the
money appropriated to accomplish the re-
duction of the fences"
Representative Burkett has recommended
c. A. Leckliter for postmaster at Raymond.
Lancaster county, vice @. w. Murphy. This
office has given Mr.. Burkett a great deal Of
trouble. Some time ago the PostofHce de-
partment sent an inspector to Raymond to
examine into the workings of the ONCE.
The inspector reported that Mr.. Murphy
was totally incompetent on account of old
age to perform the work of the ONCE and
he recommended Murphy's discharge. Mr..
Burkett, approaching the condition sur
rounding Mr.. Murphy, was slow to act
along the lines Of the inspectors recon-
mendation. For some time things have
gone on in this condition until the other
day, when the Postofice department made
a pre-emptory demand upon the repre-
sentative from the First district to rec
ommend a postmaster at that place, and
today Mr.. Leckllter's name was sent to
the fourth assistant postmaster general for
appointment.
Iowa Recommendations Sent In.
The nominations decided upon by the
Iowa delegation at it's conference last
Tuesday for United States district attor-
ney, marshals and collectors were sent to
the attorney general and secretary of the
treasury yesterday morning, the suggested
nominations being signed by the entire
Iowa delegation. The names were sub
mitted to the cabinet meeting yesterday
and favorable action taken thereon. ow-
ing, however. to the early adjournment Of
the senate yesterday the cabinet officers
having these nominations in charge could
not prepare them for the president to be
transmitted to the senate. 1t is thought,
however. that the names of those selected
by the Iowa delegation for federal places
will go to the senate on Monday. In this
connection 1t is interesting to know that
the name OF J. U. sammis OF Lemars went
in with the rest for collector Of the north
ern district, although no direct advice has
come from Mr.. sammis Indicating whether
he will or will not accept the once. The
chances are, however. that he will.
senatOr Dietrich Entertains.
One Of the pleasantest dinners Of the
season was given tonight at the New Will
lard by Senator Dietrich to a number Of his
friends who have been enthusiastic sup
porters OF the irrigation bill and It was
In commemoration OF the passage Of that
measure that the followin ggentIemen
were drawn together; Elihu Root, secre-
tary Of war; Senators Hanna, Hansbrough,
Fairbanks, Clark Of Wyoming, Foster OF
r Washington and Kittredge; Representatives
Burkett, Mercer, Robinson, Stark, Neville,
Newlands and Mondell; ex-senator ]. NJ.
Thurston, William E. Andrews, auditor for
d the Treasury department; Charles Rigg OF
Beatrice. G.. H. Maxwell, chairman Of the
executive committee Of the National r.
I rigation association e. c. Snyder, Adam
McMullin and II. A. Austin. Speeches were
made during the evening by Messrs. Root
Hanna, Fairbanks. Mondell. Burkett, Mer-
( Ger and Thurston. the latter presiding dur.