New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-25
LAND FRAUDS ARE GREAT
REPORTS CONFIRMED
Secretary Hitchcock, Not Readu TO
Make Details Public
IrRoN n rR-BINE prRr,rl

Washington. oct. 24.-Autbors,,-t,-
ton of tho report OF extensive frapss -. :.
cut Of the administration OF the forss, ,,as.-,'e
and the Lieu land selections acts nubI,sl,os a.
The Tribune this morning. was secured to-day
although 1ne extent and other details of the dis
coveTses thus Ear made are. Tor the nrasa,, -,
cb1s.nable- Secretary Hitchcock. who g H.
only person in Washington familiar ,.,,,, 81. =.
tails. is fndisposed and confined TO his room, al
though he hopes 10 be al his desk on Aronas,
Il appears that long ago as las+ 1r,o =,
formation reached the Secretary which ;n h,s
judgment. called for immediate irves,sss,;or
Believing that premature publicity wouls de-
feat the ends 81 justice by impeIlinr the narson.
under suspicion. some Of them Of co,,s,aa-,b ~,
prominence and influence. SO 10 cover ,b.,-
tracks as 70 bsffie the investigation Secretary
Hitchcock took every precaution 70 keep the
facts out % the newspapers. hut immediately
appointed trusted and competent employe Of
the Law division Of the Interior Department and
one Of Chief Wilkes Secret Service men to con-
duct thorough investigation. These men have
been working assiduously since that time. a Id
Their efforts have met with considerable s,,c-
cess. although the facts they have obtained can
not Yet be made public
II is recalled that the laxity Of the methods
prevailing IN the General Land Or5ce In the a.
r'inist-atio1 az Binger Hermann. Of Oraron &c
Coumiss ioner. was long source of anxiety 70
Secretary Hitchcock. who frequently called at
tention 10 the fact that unless greater care were
exercised in certain particulars. grave scandals
would inevitably ensue. Finally. the Secretary
having been unable 10 convince Hermann OF the
Importance Of the matters to which he had SO
often called attention. secured his resignation.
his successor being William a. Richards
As Secretary HitChcock's commission has al
most completed SIS work. and he is in possession
n most Of the facts il is believed that, with
view 20 checking the wild and exaggerated
rumors now appearing in certain newspapers
TIE Secretary viii soon make an authoritative
statement. e-nbodying such facts can be
properly published without sacrificing the in
Terests q the government.
Senator Mitchell. OF oregon. who has arrived
fu Washington for the session Of Congress. said
to-day that 70 his knowledge there were serious
frauds in connection with the reservation OF land
f0r forest purposes. although, in his estimation
The reports had been grossly exaggerated. The
senator was disposed 10 regard the lieu land
selection act as a proper one but blamed the ad-
-rir.stratiou az the Forest Reserve act for such
abuses Is had grown out Of il. He admitted the
CtflCulties which the Land ONCE in washington
encounters II attempting 10 administer these
Jaws al long range but said that more per
feet methods must he devised. The Senator re
1erreC particularly 70 a proposed forest reserve
in he southeastern part OF his own state He
said that this reserve i established on the pro-
posed lines. would embrace large parts OF Jose
pniue and Coos counties In the former there
were already ninerV-eiEhr hornestea ds a num-
t-- q timber claims and roads which had been
-C-st-uCteG at great expense 10 the county. as
well IS several schools. and practically the same
C1n5iricns prevailed II Coos County.
while admitting the beneficial effects Of forest
reserves In localities where IL necessary 10
conserve the water supply ard prevent the dry
trg I'd r streams the Senator declared that
such conditions do not prevail IL the section
Fe-red 10 and said that the rainfall was album
Csl-. 70 important streams found their sources
there and there appeared 10 be no valid reason
Tor -rea rirE the reservation lie expressed the
hOle that all frauds IL connection with the acts
named would be unezrthed. and that an effect
ual preventive would be found.