Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1903-12-17
TO PROTECT LANDS
SECRETARY HITCHCOCK ASKS
LARGE APPROPRIATION.
From Every Section Come Com
plants of the Disposition of the
Public Domain in Violation of
Law. Concerted Attempt to Get
Possession.

Washington, Dec. l5.-What Secre-
tary Hitchcock really thinks about the
magnitude of the public land and tim
Der frauds has appeared in way least
expected. The secretary gave out a
statement several weeks ago, declaring
that the reports were in some respects
grossly exaggerated. He declined to
talk about the matter, although it was
known that he was preparing to jnsti-
tute legal proceedings in the criminal
conurts in several places. Now his
views of the seriousness Of the situation
have appeared in an unconspicuous
place.
The voluminous book of estimates of
needed appropriations which the sec
rotary of the treasury sent to congress
on the first day of the session calls for
$3.50, 900 to protect the public lands
from fraudulent entry, and in verv fine
print on the same page is long note
of several hundred words. The note is
unsigned, but in reality it's author was
Secretary Hitchcock. Among the rea-
sons which he gives in this note for the
increased estimates are the following:
Many Complaints Filed.
"From every section of the country
come com plaints of the disposition of
the public lands in violation Of law and
in the despoilation of the timber and
the maintenance of unlwaful Enclosures
on the land. These complaints cite
cases where it is found upon investiga-
ton that spectators, cattle compa-
MES, corporations and individuals are
all engaged in an effort to plumber the
public domain.
entries are being made without
residence or improvement, timber lands
are being taken for speculation, and
fictitious proofs are being made, espe-
cially before officers other than regis
tiers and receivers, as to the claimants
with the laws. The present appropri-
alton furnished scanty support to the
scarcely sixty agents, and it is only
necessary to state it in order to empha-
size the impotency of the present force
to reach out over the vast area of the
public domain and protect il from the
whoslelsea frauds that are being at
tempted.
More Money Needed.
"The developments of the last six
months have satisfied me that the
present appropriations are wholly mad
equate in securing anything like an
effective execution OF the laws and to
clear the records of any considerable
number of alleged fraudulent entries
now awaiting action"
The views of the secretary were i'm
pressed upon the president several
weeks ago, for Mr.. Roosevelt recon-
mended that large amount of money
be made available for prosecuting the
timber frauds. How great these frauds
are, in the opinion of Secretary Hitch
cock, is shown by this further quotation
from hiss mote" attached to the an
nual estimates:
"Nearly co. 900 entries are suspen l.
ed on the charge OF fraud. About half
of this number are in different stages
OF adjustment About 5000 entries
under the timber land act OF June 3.
1878, have been suspended on salts
factory showing that they have not
been made in compliance with law,
but in the interest of other persons and
corporations. There are about $500
entries which have been commuteu I'M
der the homestead law without sufi-
cient showing of residence or improve
ments. Nearly a thousand soldiers ad-
ditional applications and large num-
Der of soldiers' widows applications are
also shown to have been made in viola.
ton of the laws. TO this must be add
ed the large number of cases involved
in timber trespass and unlawful inclos-
ures."
1t appears from the remarks of Mr..
Hitchcock, through the inconspicuous
medium of the book of estimates tt at
he regards the land frauds quite as ser.
iously as the authors OF the most sensa.
tional stories that have been published
about them.