The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-12-07


| iectiVe treaties covering crime is mani
'eH~ Inc exposures and prosecutions
u Official corruption in St. Louis, Mo-,
| ma other cities and states have result
81 IN number of givers and takers of
| oflbes becoming fugitives in foreign
ands Bribery has not been included
| ii extraction treaties heretofore, as
me necessity for it has not arisen.
| W nile there may have been as much
'nclal corruption in former years
there has been more developed and
| brought to light in the immediate past
than in the preceding century of our
country's history. 1t should be the
poilcy OF the United States to leave
| no place on earth where a corrupt
| man fleeing from this country can
| rest IN peace. There is no reason why
bribery should not be included in all
treaties as eXtraditable. The recent
amended treaty with Mexico, whereby
this crime was put in the list Of ex-
traditable offenses, has established a
salutary precedent in this regard. I'm
der this treaty the state department
has asked, and Mexico has grantd, the
| extradition of one of the ST. Louis
bride givers.
There can, be no crime more serious
than bribery. Other offenses violate
one law while corruption striketh at the
foundation of all law. Under our form
Of government all authority is vested
nv Ia1a cd
to those who represent them in Off
cial capacity. There can be no Of
Tense heavier than that Of him in
whom such a sacred trust has been re-
| posed, who sells it for his own gain
| and enrichment; and no less heavy is
| the offense of the bride giver. He is
worse than the thief for the thief robs
| The individual, While the corrupt Off
| cial plumbers an entire city or state
He is as wicked as the murderer for
the murderer may only take one life
against the law. while the corrupt Off
cial and the man who corrupts the Of
fetal alike aim at the assassination
Of the commonwealth itself. Govern
ment of the people, by the people, for
the people viii perish from the face
of the earth if bribery is tolerated. The
givers and takers of brides stand on
an evil pre- eminence of infamy. The
exposure and punishment of public
corruption is an honor to a nation, not
a disgrace. The shame lies in tOlera-
ton, not in correction. No city or
state, still less the nation, can be injur
ed by the enforcement of law. AS
long as public plunderers when de-
tected can find a haven of refuge in
any foreign land and avoid punish
ment, just so long encoura cement is
given them to continue their practices
II we fail to do all that in us lies to
stamp out corruption we can not es-
| cape our share of responsibility for
| the guilt. The first requisite of sue
| cessful government is unfnching
enforcement of the law and the cutting
out of corruption.
A gratifying disposition has been
evinced by those having unlawful in
| closures Of public land to remove their
| fences. Nearly two million acres so
| inclosed have been thrown open on de-
| mand. In but comparatively few cases
| has it been necessary to go into court
| to accomplish this purpose. This work
viii be vigorously prosecuted until
all unlawful Enclosures have been re-
moved.
Experience has shown that in the
| western states themselves. as we'll as
i,l he nct Of f1A &c
| widespread conviction that certain of
| the publicland laws and the resulting
| administrative practice no longer meet
the present needs. The character and
| uses of the remaining public lands diff
! fer widely from those of the public
| lands which congress had especially
| in view when these laws were passed
The rapidly increasing rate of disposal
Of the public lands is not followed by
! corresponding increase in home build
| ing. There is a tendency to mass in
! large holdings public lands. especially
timber and grazing lands, and there
| by 10 retard settlement | renew and
emphasize my recommendation of last
year that so far as they are available
| for agriculture in its broadest sense
and to whatever extent they may be
reclaimed under the national irrigation
| law. the remaining public lands should
| be held rigidly for the home builder.
The work of reclamation Of the arid
| lands of the west is progressing stead
| ilv and satisfactorily under the terms
of the law setting aside the proceeds
from the disposal of public lands. The
| corps Of engineers known as the re-
| clamatiOn service, which is conducting
| the surveys and examinations. has
been thoroughly organized, especial
pains being taken TO secure under the
civil-service rules a body Of skilled,
experienced. and efficient men. Sur
| veys and examinations are progress
! ing throughout the arid states and ter
ritories plans for reclaiming works
| being prepared and passed upon by
| boards of engineers before approval by
the secretary of the interior. In Ari-
IONA and Nevada. in localities where
such work is pre-eminently needed.
construction has already been begun.