Mower County transcript., 1904-05-18
NO Land LEClSLATI0N|

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S3ngress Failed to Act on Presidents
Recommendation. :5f
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The committee on public lands of
The t.l. House in the recent. session Of con
gtess refused, by large majority, to
report out the bill repeating the timber
and stone act. It can therefore be said
that no land legislation was seriously
considered by that body in spite of the
Specific recommendation Of the presi-
dent to repeal the timber and stone act
I:and amend other land laws. :
The land grabbers moreover appear
tozhaye held their own in congress in
spite Of the strong efforts that have
been made to dislodge them and the
very apparent public sentiment which
has demanded some land legislation at
this session of congress. In the first
place they have charged that there
have been no land frauds and in the
second place that those who were ad-
|vocating the repeal of the land laws
We're working solely from ulterior
motives. Members of congress from
some of the western states have square
| ly assured their colleagues in the COM
mittee hearings that so far as their own
particular states were concerned there
have been practically no frauds-no
frauds SO far as they knew and most Of
them have stated that had there been
any frauds they were in a position to
know of them. The laws, of course
might have been in individual cases
abused;such a thing is likely to happen
with any law. An instance of some very
edifying but lamentably incorrect
testimony of this character was that
given by the two representatives from
Oregon, Mr.. Williamson and Mr.. Her
mann -Binger Hermann, the late COM
missioner of the General Land Office.
BotA Of these gentlemen pleaded with
the committees of the House against
any proposed repeal of the timber. and
stone act, the desert land act, or the
communication clause Of the Homestead
act. These laws were all good laws
and 5.meant. the world to Oregon. They
! ffnessaI future. great deYelo lopmentx for;
1thsstsss SECTION by home1naking and q
corresponding benefit to the nation in
the increase of honest settlement and
good citizenship. No frauds were COM
mitted under them. They were ad.
mirable acts.
1t transpires, however, that just
about this time the Federal Grand
Jury for the District of Oregon was IN
session in the city of Portland and
that body had became SO impressed
and alarmed at the gross and whole
sale fraud under these land laws in
question, as they affected Oregon, that
on April End it's members prepared an
official recommendation for the con-
sideration of the commission appoint
ed by the president to look into the
public lands question.
The report recites that as s'members
OF the Federal Grand Jury for the
District of Oregon, in session in the
city of Portland, chosen by lot from all
portions Of the state, a number of our
members being farmers and stockmen
and all Of us having had wide op-
portunities for observing the operation
and effect OF existing land laws in
Oregon and other western states" they
express the belief that all the general
public land laws should be uncondition-
ally repealed. Further, that 'the rapid
absorption of the remaining public
lands by syndicates representing
enormous capital whereby the heritage
OF the people, so much vaunted in the
halls of congress and On the hustings,
is passing into the hands of few land
lords," and that the practice amounts
to all evil that imperils the peace of
society in all the public land states.
The report further states that this
} acquisition Of large areas under a
sing e ownership is accomplished
} through the vicious legislation enacted
| from time to time ostensibly in the
interest of the honest entryman, but
) really with the effect to make it easy
for the dishonest entryman to eyade
, the spirit Of the law in the interest OF
q the syndicate by whom be is employed
and to whom he assigns the land upon
making final proof - ...: .=. &.
9 The report says Of the Communication
clause Of the Homestead Law; aThis
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