The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1903-08-30
Senator Fulton
Is DispIeased
Nettled TO Learn That Secretary
Hitchcock Turned Down the
Delegation

Secretary Hitchcock II insane ever
the matter of oregon lands He seems
To think that thsre ls not an honest
+, rson Ia oregsl, and that matters
politically are 70 rotten in this s,nie
he must needs turn down the entire
congressional delegation and assume
personal responsibility in filling federal
positions in his department, His policy
Is working an incalculable injury TO the
commerce and In iustry Of the state, for
he is retarding one OF oregon's great
est resources.
United States Senator Fulton is in
anything but pleasant fraiae Of mind
since the publication yesterday OF
dispatch from Washington containing
the information that Edward w. EaNis
Of Union county had been appointed
by the president as reg ster II the la
Grande land office and that lohh w.
Knowles, who was una limOtSly rec
ommended by the oregon Gciegation,
had been turned Iowa, The sert ter re-
CARDS the appointment OF Paws as q
direct thrust at h, delegation, Gnd lie
is inclined 10 res ant the insult,
II do not mean that Davis Is not a
good man" continued the senator in
reply 10 a question put by an Astorian
man, To the conrlw ! rrEad llm
as Aonrct ana rfii-int Fat ktoWles
Nts aeclatl np0n as the man for the
I'ace, and W. feed that olr w'Sl'"s IN
the matter ought as Is customary to
be respected, l'etJca he r'cvloG teng-
rsssr an I'tGirann Y, sent IN Knowles
rane. Hiirut, TX seemed dl'postd Ia
turn us down and held up The atlamt-
inpnt, s., lull'l that ehmG's hai
| cen filed agan :; Eao%les, hL litch-
enk refuss 1 absclut 'ly 10 aclul'n; US
with the rlm,H OF the allegation, He
sent out ,nost Il INSPECTOR il NAN
hamed Iireea, 10 investigate Knowles
record, anl | prss Ne thr inSre tors
report was an adverse one
"Natui ally, We decliu'l to wit'
Knowles na,re without some f'ason
am satisfied the charges annuuttd
10 nothing, ann for this reason am in
elined to be nettled over the natter,
Hitchcock is notoriously antagcnistic
10 Oregon, and lis action in the matter
OF the LaGrande reglstership has not
surprised me"
Senator Fulton added that the secre-
tary OF the interior has been pursuing
an anti Oregon policy all along He
has, says the senator steadfastly re-
fused TO order surveys of public lands,
with the result the settlers are shut
out, All entries In this state have been
suspended and Hitchcock has refused
to issue patents until special investi-
CATION Is made in the case OF each en-
try.
why, 1t would take 30 years to in
vestigate all the land entries pendingl
declared the senator NO matter
whether or not there Is evidence of
fraud, Hitchcock insists on a special
investigation in each case, and | have
received hundreds of letters from IN
tending settlers, asking relief, The
secretary is Withdrawing the public
lands ,nthis state and holding them
for forest reserves, and at present has
one-ffth of the total acreage of Oregon
tied up. He is running one of Oregon's
greatest industries-that of lumbering--
and his policy of hostility is working
incalculable injury to the commerce
and development of the state
The senator also stated that similar
conditions existed in Washington, but
declined TO discuss the probable future
action of the delegation. However, II
is highly probable that the senators VIII
take steps to combat the scheme of the
secretary, Senator Fulton said that not
a single instance of fraud had been
found in the entry of Oregon lands
He is very much displeased with Sec
retary Hltchcocks action. and feels
that the insult Is wholly unmerited'
The matter of confirmation of Mr.
Davis will come up at the next ses-
sion of the senate. II the senators
from Oregon make any attempt to turn
down the secretary, the intention will
develop at that time.