Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-05-09
no LAND -
LEGISLATION
M
Congress Pals 70 Act Upon the
RecsnneldafisBs . fPresi-
dent Roosevelt
LAND-GRABBERS WIN
strong Report Made ~
Grand Jury of Ore2 III
garsfing Frauds &

The committee on public lands re.
fused, BY j large majority, to report
Nbut the BIZ repeating the timber and
knss ACT. II can therefore be said
That no land Legislation has been ser
5ously considered BY that body In spite
Ipf the specific recommendation OF the
president to repeal the timber and
s3tone act, and amend other land laws
SO the land grabbers appear TO-
Rave held their own In congress IN
spite OF the strong efferts that have
been made to dislodge them and the
very apparent public sentiment which
has demanded some legislation at this
session Of congress. In the first
place they have charged that there
bare been no land frauds. and In the
second place that those who are adj
yocating the repeal or the land laws
we're working solely from ulterior mo-
lives. Members of congress from some
Of the western states have squarely
assured their colleagues In the com
Mite hearings that % far as their
OWN particular STATED ere concerned
there have been pr no frauds
IN frauds 50 far pew, and
most Of them state md there
been any frauds they dn . posi-
tion to know Of them. The laws. OF
course. might have been In individual
instances abused such a thing Is like
~ to happen with any law. An In
stance Of some very edifying but lam
entably incorrect testimony Of this
character was that given by the two
Representatives from Oregon. Mr.. VIII
hanson and Mr.. Hermann--Binger
Hermann. the late commissioner Of the
general land office. Both Of these
gentlemen pleaded with the committee
q the house against any proposed re-
peal Of the timber and stone act. the
desert land act or the communication
cnE M tho homestead act. These
laws were NIL good laws and meant
the world TO Oregon. They meant a
future great development for that sec
tion BY homemaking, and q cores
ponding benefit TO the nation In the
increase Of honest settlement and
good citizenship. No frauds were
committed under them. They were
admirable acts.
II t~ranspIres. however. that just
about this time the federal grand jury
for the district of Oregon was In SEES.
sion in the city Of Portland and that
body had become so impressed and al.
armed at the gross and wholesale
fraud under these land laws in ques,
ton, as they affected Oregon. that on
April Ind Its members prepared an
Official recommendation log ths consid
GRAFTON OF the commissiod appointed
BY the president 10 look into the pub
lie lands question.
The report recites that as members
Of the federal grand Jury for the Dis
trict Of Oregon, In session in the city
Of Portland, chosen by LOT from all por.
lions Of the state. a number OF our
members being stockmen and all or
Is having had wide opportunities for
observing the operation and effect or
existing land laws IN Oregon and 9th.
er western states, they express the be.
lief that all the general public land
laws should be Internationally repeal.
ed. Further. that "tbe rapid absorp.
tion Of the remaining public lands by
syndicates representing enormous cap
ital whereby the heritage Of the peo
pie" 80 much Wanted In the halls Of
congress and on the musings. is pas
sing into the hand OF a few land
lords" and that the practice amounts
to an evil that imperils the peace 81
society In all the public land states.
The report further states that this
acquisition OF large areas under 4
single ownership Is accomplished
through the vicious legislation enact
ed from time to time ostenslbly IN
the interest or the honest entryman
but really with the effect 20 make II
easy for the dishonest entryman Il
eyade the spirit Of the law In the IN
terest Of the syndicate by whom he
Is employed and TO whom he assign.
the land upor making The Gnal proof
The report says Of the communication
clause Of the homestead act. eThii
u another law that masquatales IN
der the thin diseaisa 81 4 sem
the honest entryman Our dgiibera
finns ~ q grand jury ha.s Astn I'll
ae osi part 10 relation Il ,ioiail1ni
OF the land laws and very largely con