Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-07-14

has effectually "queered| the nome
st cad fakir's chances in the neighbor-
hodd. Dismay is writ large across the
face Of things. Not even stimulants
would make the commission men talk
ative here
At North Platte, the headquarters
Of some Of the largest ranches in Ne
brasl1a, the same signs were easily
discoverable though the tone Of the
talk was rather more optimistic than
Upon inquiry the reason
for this became obvious. North Platte
is something Of a political center, and
has been these many years. The peo-
pie have learned to pin their faith to
political influence; many of the towns
men are masters Of the art of political
politics are relied upon, to
a large extent, as a means Of bring
ing order out Of shaos and restoring
the land-graft to its old, safe and sound
basis. The people of North Platte
were rather the most philosophical OF
all encountered upon this excursion.
Not few of the foremost profession
al politicians Of the town have been
receiving a substantial dividend from
the homestead thimble-rigging. II is
not by virtue Of the cattlemen's large
"vested interests" that that district
hopes to perpetuate present conditions,
but rather by virtue Of political
"pull," pure and simple. Thus far
circumstances have seemed to justify
their confidence. Some Of the most
aggravated Of the states thefts have
been committed in that region; and
there the unlawful fences have thrived
like lusty weeds; yet nothing has oc-
Cured thereabouts to cause more than
a gentle agitation of the sunlit surface
Of things. A few mild and gentleman
ly orders have gone forth, relative to
the removal Of some Of the illegal
fences, but no drastic measures have
been taken, no prosecutions begun, no
serious intimation given that the fed
eral land.laws are really superior to
private and unlawful interests. A
rather hasty and cursory inspection
failed to discover any signs that any
considerable amount Of fencing has
been taken down. The North Platte
district is standing pat, watchful but
undaunted.
There I could get no immediate Of
fer for an assignment Of my home
stead rights; but II was confidently as
serted that two or three months, more
or less, will witness the end of the
present frenzy of righteousness on the
part Of the general government, and
that thereafter might, in all proba-
bility, edo some business. There,
too, fifty dollars and expenses was the
the price freely named as the basis for
trade. All over the state there is a
striking uniformity in that particular
Of late; it is so noticeable as to sug-
gest a common understanding amongst
the grafters that one district shall not
outbid another. Perhaps the federal
antitrust law might be invoked here.
To sum up; A halt has been called
in the Nebraska homestead-trafiic,
which seems likely TO endure until
such time as the interested parties can
find OUT "where they are at" and
what the government really intends.
There is no armistice, nor anything
like it; nobody is talking Of peace
negotiations. The war is to go on
presently, and IL promises to be gor'
geous spectacle.
A flying trip into Montana diseov'
cred one phase Of the land graft that
has suffered no abatement Of fervor.
The Flathead Indian reservation, en-
bracing about 100000 acres of agri'
cultural grazing and timber lands In
the western part Of the state, is soon
to be thrown open to settlement. Ac'
tive preparations are going forward
for repetition Of the Rosebud farce
comedy when the opening comes. Many
land companies of one sort and an
other have been organized here and
there over the state, and all are spend
ing money freely in advertising for
"homesteader." Western Montana
is a remote spot, well out of reach Of
the long arm and the big stick. II
present plans do not misearry, the
Flathead opening will be added to the
long list of outlawries.
sickening shivering Fits