The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-03-10

driven from their homes to make room
for few range cattle or sheep.
In his message of last December Presi-
dent Roosevelt called earnest attention to
| the notorious abuse of the present land
laws. He urged some action to correct
| this evil, and in default of legislation
| suggested commission TO examine care
| fully into the merits of the entire con-
| troversy.
Western members of Congress whose
| political and financial interests are in
| timately entwined with those of the great
range industries were alarmed at the en-
couragement thus given to the forces
rapidly coming together to take the ex-
elusive control of the great range States
| from the hands of those who had been for
years farming out this control to the
| benefit of themselves and their friends.
They set to work vigorously to stife
any remedial legislation which might be
suggested and to further cultivate the
idea, which generally prevails among
those indifferent to the matter, that the
men who live upon the public lands know
best how they should be administered.
Senator Teller, in report made when
he was secretary of the interior, many
years ago, laid down the proposition that
it was a popular fallacy that those who
| live upon the public lands knew best how
they should be handled.
The Senator then called attention to
what is a notorious fact that those who
who live upon these lands, however honest
they may be in their intentions, mus
| necessarily have personal interest to
serve in permitting the rapid acquire
ment of these lands by those whom the
law never intended to have them
AS a result, laws now on the statute
books have originated at the suggestion
of a single. man for the accomplishment
OF single purpose. Through the indie-
ference of other legislators and wide
misconception of the relation of the
Western members to these lands, these
laws have in time been made general in
their application, and thus accomplished
incalculable harm to properties belong
ing to the people of the whole United
States, and not alone to any Western
community.
The Quarles-Powers bill was intro
duced early in the session, and proposed
to repeal what is known as the Tim!''r
and Stone act, the Desert Land act and
the Communication clause of the Homestead
act. This bill was referred at once to
the House Committee on Public Lands,
where it still sleep, the committee being
practically unanimous in opposition to it.
The chairman of the committee, Mr.
Lacey, of Iowa. has held his position for
many years, and resents the imputation
that he is not an authority upon every
thing appertaining to the public domain.
When Mr.. Lacey saw the recommended
lions in the Presidents message and felt
the pressure brought to bear for the re-
peal of the laws mentioned he trimmed
his sails to catch the breeze and intro
duced bills of his own carrying out prac-
tically the same ideas as proposed in the
Powers bill
1t did not take him twenty-four hours,
however. TO shift his position. There was
a scurrying of the range representatives
from one end of the Capitol to the other,
and in a very short time Mr.. Lacey
reached the conclusion that he had been
hasty in desiring the repeal Of these laws
and that they were beneficial to the Wes-
tern country.
In the Senate the Quarles bill was re-
ferred to the Senate Committee on Pub
lie Lands. of which Senator Hansboroush
ic Chairman. Early in the fall the Sena-
tor from South Dakota, had campaign
for reelection on his hands and owing
to the fact that several men very infiu-
entail in his State were in favor of check
ing the wholesale raids in progress upon
the public lands in that section of the
West, Senator Hansborough played fast
and loose with the friends Of the move
ment.
His attitude was distinctly friendly
toward that bill when he left Washing
ton to meet with the South Dakota Leg
isIature in January On his return, after
reelection to the United States Senate,
his attitude changed entirely and he be-
came vindictively opposed to the pro-
posed legislation, to which he had APP
parently given full sanction short
time before.
The Quarles bill was forced through
the committee by its friends and no post
ponement of its consideration was allowed.
Much bitterness developed when the mat
ter came to vote.
When Senator Dietrich, of Nebraska,
said he would vote in favor of the bill,
as he thought it was high time to save
the public lands for the people, Senator
Hansborough freely threatened personal
retaliation upon those who were thus en-
deavoring to carry out the recommended
tons of the President and the Secretary
of the Interior.
The bill was reported favorably by
narrow majority. the opposition showing
90 h.
has no objection to its constituents alb
sorbing the valuable timber lands of the
United States at price far below their
real value.
Senators Gamble. of North Dakota:
Hansborough, of South Dakota: Clark. of
Wyoming. and Kearns, of Utah. see no
reason why their powerful constituents
should not get all the land from the
United States which they can possibly
ACQUIRE TO add TO the size and value of
their holdings
The present Quarles-Powers bill dies
with the expiration of the Fifty-seventh
Congress. 1t win be introduced next win
ter. Sufficient progress has been made
this year TO show that the demand that
the publis lands should be saved for the
home builders is strong enough 70 check
any legislation in an opposite direction.
The Fifty-eighth Congress will witness
a battle TO the death between the big
land owners of the West. with their po-
Htical representatives,. and those o;cers
Of the government and members OF Con-
gress who are determined that the United
States shall for many years 20 come re-
main haven for agricultural home
seekers
The Timber and Stone act provides