Evening star., 1904-03-25
REPLIES TO GIBSON
Hansbrough on Proposed Re-
peal Of Land Laws.
AN ALLEGED LOBBY
HEATED CONTROVERSY IN THE
HOUSE THIS AFTERNOON.
Resolution Reported Reinserting In
Post Office Bill Sections Relating to
Pay Of Rural Carriers.
AN ALLEGED LOBB

In the Senate today Mr.. Hansbrough
spoke in reply to the speech of Mr.. Gibson,
made yesterday, on the bill providing for
the repeal of the dessert land and other
laws for the disposal of the public lands.
He took exception to many of Mr.. Gibson s
statements, but agreed with the Montana
senator. however. in the contention that
the timber and stone act and the forest re-
serve lien land law could be disposed of
to advantage. Speaking of the desert land
law. Mr.. Hansbrough said it practically
was the only statute under which a private
entryman could secure land for irrigation In
the arid states. He also spoke in support of
the communication clause of the homestead
act.
Mr.. Gibson Interrupted with the state
ment that in recent years there had been
a very rapid increase in the number of
cases in which the Communication clause had
been taken advantage of in North Dakota.
and he expressed the opinion that this
had been in the interest of stock raisers in
the western part of the state.
Mr.. Hansbrough replied that such was
not the case. saying that there was COM
paratively little stock growing in North
Dakota and that especially in the western
part of the state the settlers occupied the
lands entered by them.
An Alleged Lobby.
Mr.. Hansbrough intimated that there was
an ulterior motive in the movement 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 commuta-
ton laws. and speaking of this organiza-
ton, he said: Il am satisfied that it is the
purpose of this organization to enhance the
value OF private holdings in scrip and
lands. He said in this connection that he
inaue no charge that any Senator or MEM
per OF the House of Representativ was
interested in any such an organization.
In reply to question by Mr.. Gibson he
aumtted that there had been recommenda-
uonS from the Interior Department for the
repeal of the laws in question, but he at
trlbuted this circumstance to the fact that
very FEW secretaries of the department have
nau practival information about the opera
ton of the public land laws
Mr.. Gibson quoted the last report of the
secretary of the Interior, to the effect that
the commissioner of the general land office
had In his report recommended the repeal
or the communication law, but Mr. Clark
(Wyo) replied that he had searched the
commissioners report in vain for such a
rece mmendation
The Movement for Repeal.
Mr.. Hansbrough again reverted to the
motives of men outside of Congress who
desire to secure the repeal of the laws
he SAD there was a syndicate of such
persons, and added that "one of the in
dividuals connected with this organiza ton
mas been receiving a princely salary from
one OF the land grant railroads for the past
SIX years Il find, upon investigation" he
went on, that great syndicate has re-
Gently purchased at the price of 20 cents
an acre large body of land from the
Union Pacific Railroad Company, and the
managers OF that syndicate have been here
In Washington comforting with officials to
secure the repeal of the laws in question"
He also said there were saw mill interests
In d1fferent parts of the country 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 cattle men,
land barons. ETC., and when people on the
outside accuse senator's with being the
agents of such syndicatcs, 1 think it no
more than fair that attention should be
called to other syndicates interested in the
repeal of the laws"
MIR. Newlands expressed the hope that
the land laws might be materially modified.