The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-04-03

willing TO say all the special agents Of
the land Office We're venal.
Mr.. Gibson said he knew OF thou
sands Of cases Of fraud in Montana.
Then" replied Mr.. Warren. "the ]
per cent Of fraud under that law
must all have occurred in Montana.
A Case III Point.
Mr.. Newlands asked If il was not
true that there We're many instances
in which large bodies of land were now
held individually, and # it was not
true that those lands had been Sc
cured through fraudulent entry. He
kenw, he said. Of one California cat
tie firm which owned a million acres
in three or four states.
Mr.. Warren replied that he knew OF
no holdings so large, and that the large
holdings with which he was familiar
were held within railroad grants.
Mr.. Warren said that there was more
fraud committed under the homestead
act than under any other land law ex-
cept the timber and stone act. because
the land could be secured under that
law without paying any money.
Irrigation in Wyoming.
Mr.. Warren gave the details Of the
reclamation of the land on which is
situated. the colony Of Wheatland.
Wyoming, saying that when first en-
tered on there had not been water suf-
hcient for even a drink within twenty
miles. After more than 100000 had
been expended on the enterprise it
was held UP for years by the govern
ment under Mr. Cleveland's admin
istratiOn. Finally the difficulty was
Strengthened out. with the result that
seventy-nine sections had been settled
and thoroughly reclaimed. The COM
VN1affnr 90 ha
more than 1000, 0OO and only $4,000
had been taken out. In this connec-
ton Mr.. Warren, president OF the COM
pany controlling the enterprise, de-
tended IL against Mr.. Gibson's refiec-
tons and giving details OF the work
done. He said that where there now
were 5000 persons. not one family
could have lived before the canal IN
der which the colony was located was
contracted.
And this explained Mr. Warren,
when the reading Of the letter was
completed, lis the horrible example.
the quintessence of the fraud which
the senator from Montana charges
against the people of Wyoming
Gibson Used Official Reports.
Mr.. Gibson replied that he had no
feeling except that of high regard for
the people of Wyoming. and that he
had no desire TO make any attack on
them. He had based his remarks on
an official report.
Continuing. Mr.. Warren said that he
did not know of a single instance in
which an irrigation company was max
ing cent, and he added that he knew
OF many that had failed.
During the latter part of his address
Mr.. Warren was frequently interrupt
ed by other western senators, includ-
ing Patterson, Newlands, Dubois and
Teller The discussion took a wide
range, including a comparison between
the effects of private irrigation enter
priSes and those conducted under the
auspices of the government.
Mr.. Warren cOntroverted the state
ment of Mr.. Gibson that the greater
portion of the land west Of the Mis-
sissippt river was owned by landlords
and not by settlers. asserting that the
contrary was true. He also said that
Mr. Gibson in effect had charged con-
gress with enacting meretricious leg
islation.
II don't believe" responded Mr.. Glib
son, that congress knowingly enacted
pad laws. But do believe that il has
been misled and that IL congress now
understood the subject no time would
be lost in repeating the land laws"
Then" said Mr.. Warren, the SEN
ator means TO charge that congress
has not been venal, but merely fool
When. at $50 p. m Mr.. Warren con-
Guided, the senate adjourned