The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-05-28

it had no right. for an equal amount
OF better land to which Il had less
right
A Bsse for Lieu Lands.
And again they come. and again
they ask for more. They have de.
spoiled Eastern Oregon and robbed Il
most outrageously OF It's best lands.
with wagon roads; they have cut the
heart out Of the center OF the state.
with the Cascade Forest Reserve. and
now they come and ask for all the
southwest corner OF the state. for an.
other forest reserve. The fallacy OF a
forest reserve In that portion OF Ore
gon Is too apparent 20 require discus.
sion. II can't be for the protection Of
the water supply-for there are no
water courses OF any consequence
there: and such streams as do have
their source In that country flow west
into the Pacific ocean. Il can't be
that the interior department fears a
scarcity OF water In the Pacific. The
water supply Is a secondary consider
alton when the real motive is given
II Is the same "old game of grab
The timber Is small In most parts OF
the proposed reserve and the land is
klAlnlN kIAHlAO INOMINallAlNs MliuA lOI
settlement. for cultivation or even for
the capacity OF railroad corporation.
The only thing to bo done with Il Is
TO use Il as a base for lieu selections
OF good lands In the timber belts
II the railroad can make such a trade
through the Hon. Secretary OF thcln-
terror Il Is safe to say the trade will
be made.
Hermann Sat Down on II.
This matter came up when Hon.
Binger Hermann was commissioner
OF the general land ofice and he
promptly turned Il down. Whyg Be
cause he knew the facts He knew
the land was not OF quality suitable
for settlement He knew Il was not
even a decent bear pasture; and that
tho forest reserve move was made In
the interest OF lieu land grahbers;
he knew that the state had been re.
peatedly robbed and that this was
another attempted burglary Of the
same nature and he gently but firmly
sat down ON the whole matter. What
is tho result7
. Commissioner Richards had no
sooner warmed HIS seat In Hermann'a
chair than the reserve came looming
up again. Mr.. Hermann tells us that
his resignation followed az a result
of "inharmony" with Secretary Hitch.
cock In regard 10 the public land
policy" We are justified therefore
In believing that the present commits
sioner does harmonize with the sec.
retary. and that together they are de-
termined TO force another forest re-
serve upon us whether or no. and 80
far as we know "the public land pol.
Icy" Of Mr.. Hitchcock and Mr.. Rich.
ards may contemplate taking what is
left OF tho state for game parks. Hon
hunts a-d forest reserves.
Oregon Legitimate Plunder.
II they get another cut or two out
OF Oregon there will hardly be enough
left TO quarrel about anyway and n
there are any Indians left we may be
able 10 persuade them TO take II back.
There Is the Northern Pacific Mount
Rainier Forest Reserve Graft The
most fragrant and barefaced robbery
of the people perhaps ever perpc.
trated. Mount Rainier IN In the state
OF Washington. II IL a bit OF beautl'
ful scenery with lts everlasting SHOWS
deep gOrges and Ice filled canyons
but az a timber claim or wheat field
lit is a natural failure. The n. = land
grant extended far up lta rocky slopes
and as the land was no good tho n. II,
did not want II. II was. however,
good trading stock and In the easiest
simplest way imaginable the N. r,
had a bin passed by our federal con
gress creating the Mount Rainier
Forest Reserve" and giving the
Northern Pacific Railroad lieu script
which might be laid on any lands In
lany state. surveyed or unaurveyed
into which the n y. railroad ran
The N. =. has a little Jerk water road
40 miles long running from kalama
10 Portland IN Oregon, and on the
strength OF this 40 miles OF road they
were issued script OF the Rainier ~
serve sufficient 10 enter 100000 acres
lof the best timber In Southern Ore
lgon Much N not all this land 20 TAX
en- by the ~ T.. Company " uneur
veyed. and while most OF II IN heavily
tlmbered. the soil u OF such a char
acter that Il will prove abundantiy
productive aa soon as the timber IA
removed.
The N. Pc Share.
The land thus stolen by the North
ern Pacific railroad through tho
mechanism Of congress. n suihcienl
20 maintain "A population Of h9,3Ii
persons counting 100 acres 90 the
family. This same land, presented
20 the n. H. Co. contains a IMMORAL
wealth sufficient 10 build, equip aud
operate the n Y. railroad for one
thousand years. and az the same time
support a mining population Of lpf
600 men. II IN such work a. this
such a prodigai land policy
Wholesale robbery Of both the present
and future generations that makel
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