The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-03-26
Hansbroush's Allegations.

WASHINGTON, d. c., March 25.-.
Senator Hansbrough charged In the
senate today that the movement to Sc
cure the repeal of the desert land law,
the timber and stone law and the COM
mutation clause Of the homestead act
was due to the efforts of lobby COM
posed mainly of the men who bought
large tracts from railway companies,
who desire thereby to increase the de-,
mand for their property.
Senator Dubois intimated that the
pressure for repeal was due to large
holdings of forestry lands by the rail-
way companies. Senator Gibson yes
terday advocated the repeal of the laws
in question. Senators Hansbrough and
Dubois contended that the repeal would
be unwise Senator NeWlands favored
notifications of the law.
Speaking of the desert land law, Mr..
Hansbrough said it practically was the
only statute under which a private en-
try man could secure land for lrr1ga-
ton in the arid states. He also spoke
in support of the communication clause
of the homestead act
Mr. Hansbrough intimated that there
was an Interior motive in the move
ment for the repeal of the laws In
question, saying that there was In
Washington an organization preparing
the way for the repeal of the desert
land, timber and stone and commute
ton laws, and speaking of this organi-
cation he said: II am satisfied that 1t
is the purpose Of this organization to
enhance the value of private holdings
in scrip and lands" He said in this
connection that he made no charge that
any senator or member of the house of
representatives was interested IN any
such an organization. He added:
zone of the individuals connected
with this organization has been receiv-
ing a princely salary from one of the
land grant railroads for the past six
years / find upon investigation, that
a great syndicate has recently pur-
chased, at the price of 70 cents an
acre, a large body of land from the
Union Pacific railroad company, and
the managers of that syndicate nave
been here in Washington comforting
with officials to secure the repeal of the
| laws in question"
He also said there were saw mill In
terests in different parts of the coun-
try which have large holdings of land
who want the-laws repealed in order
to crowd out small holders. When,
therefore," he added, senators talk OF
syndicates of cattlemen, land barons,
etc., and when people on the outside
accuse senators Of being the agents or
such syndicates, think it no more
than fair that attention should be call
ed to other syndicates interested In the
repeal Of the laws"
Mr.. Dubois said the charges OF
frauds in the public land department
were a sweeping Indictment of the
public land laws and he for one re-
scented them. He had never known a
case under the desert land law in
Idaho, and in view of the fact that it
was the only law under which lands IN
the state could be settled, he thought
its repeal would be a calamity. He
thought the time for large holdings of
lands had passed away and said the
only legitimate complaint to be made
against the execution of the land laws
at present was in connection with the
use of forestry lieu scrip, most OF
which, he said, was held by railroad
companies.