The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-10-29
.GRAFTERS GET
$2O,OOO,OoO
Public Land Steal In
Western States
EIIiL THE FRAUDS IN POSTOPPICE
Public Land Steals In the Western
States Rivals the Postal
Frauds,
EylL THE FRAUDS In POSTOPFICE

" dSuluSlOu, l.. ~, WV go az
cording to the admissions Of officials
AZ the department of the interior, the
Investigation Of the public land scan
5a1 now going On in the states of the
Pacific coast involve the most tremen-
dous of all government gratis" and
causes the hot air. affair in the
nostoffce department to pale into
absolute insignifcance.
Persistent inquiry has developed
the information that the present in
vestigation has been going on for
months. 1t is entirely independent of
the Indian land scandal, and involves
naaoy-making transactions to the ex-
tent Of between $15,000,O 900 and $780,
a.mo. and collision getween or
gan.zed gTafters and state and federal
authorities, in the matter of land al
Lemgnts in some ffty-four forest re-
Serves which cover all together Co.
1876 acres of land.
Secretary Hitchcock alone knows
TIL. .Hl extent Of the frauds now IN
DE-. Investigation. and he says he
VIII G.H.ge nothing until the whole
inquiry has been completed under
his direction. This reticence by the
head Of the department. has spread all
sorts Of alarming rumOrs, in which
names Of men in high public places
have been mentioned here and in
states in which the investigation is
going on.
Il is reported that FIVE United States
senator's have already been reached
by the Investigations, and that they
are seriously involved. One story is
to the effect that official reports al
ready in the hands of Secretary Hitch
Ctcb name these senators.
representatives involved.
While it is generally accepted that
no United States Senators are being
Investigated, it is not denied in the
department that some Western rep
FeSenJatlyes have already been founa
10 be suspiciously connected with
laese land scandals, and before the
inquiry is finished some railroads and
l1elr connection with great forest re-
serves may receive unpleasant men
ton
JUST As in the pOstOffiCe scandal a
@rSe part Of the investigation. con-
quoted by Mr. Bristow, covered the
mead OF the administration and the
department Of the former first as
NS'ahl postmaster general, so in the
II present alleged land frauds, the inves-
II .5a'ion on the Pacific slope covers
Il .-e Administration of Binger Hermann
Il ,o.AeT commissioner general Of the
n .'~@ Office and now member of the
II House from Oregon.
II me forest reserve of the United
safes government embraced only
ii '''''' acres five years ago. The
Il @~1Jal report Of the commissioner
ii '''- gives "a reserves. including
III -'s.'b9 acres, showing that more
III AL f-7'oooo acres were proclaimed
III h"rmann's term of Office.
III .e Ills report was made a few
reserves have been added, bring
present acreage up to about
states in which reserves are
Xxi AMI in which investigations
III ~o" gong on are California, Col
HI sa-' Idaho. Montana, Nebraska. Or
W. south Dakota, Wyoming. Utah
1hgton and the territories OF
- IA, New Mexico and Oklahoma
III VA. 49, method of graft" has been
simple and in large part consists
h.s, .'aleed information through col
T., yN with federal authorities in
rs~l ~So On and land offices in the
7S concerned.
=, rights Under the Law,
c... ~7~e'ec a forest reserve is pro
,--e1 ny the president according
Al ne general land law of congress
{ tsa,a..S SOILS having land allotments
s s9var-' VIItled to receive from the
5 Him.. ~llehr a similar amount In tea
Is Or -. o1lSlCe the forest reserves. o.
Is :9,as. -al IS known as good land" The
Is tbe -. -gSer1es are wild territory AMI
L. .so3 CID sells at s1.25 an acre. The
AID g. sue averages between S.
4 a 9rss ,ra. influence and COMPRESSION
y Z has, rsu-e have been brought to bear
t. H.: certain reserves proclaimed
tcnor cIlSed States senators, whom
iii - l0n1ects in an indefinite way
sajd r. present land frauds, are
On. lave used such pressure.
. have eSentative has been found
sss 49, more direct interest HI
'As the petitioners for certain