East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-03-16

Washington. March lS.-In the
" opinion OF many practicing lawyers,
members of congress and subordinate
officials Of the land departments the
entire lieu land law has been re-
pealed-as much BY error as by in
tention, though there Is distinct
note of relief in all the comments
emanating from those in touch with
the administration, and peans of Joy
from the faction in congress and out
of that body that is interested in end
ing the intolerable system" that has
led to the vast land swindles perpe-
trated under the old lieu land law.
On the part of the lobbies and other
interests which have fattened upon
the abuses developed under and by
the lieu land law, there is reticence
that cannot be faxed" further than
to barely acknowledge the probable
fact OF repeal n
1t is rumored that when the SEN
ate messenger took a COPY of the bill
to the White House office that he
met the president in the yard armed
with new steel pen and a bottle of
ink.
Apparently without intending to do
so, congress has repealed the lieu
land law in its entirety. In doing so,
1t has erased from the statute books
the law which has been responsible
for more fraud than any other public
land statute: 1t has put an end for
ever to a system OF exchanges by
which the feedral government has
actually been cheated out of millions
of dollars worth of valuable timber
land.
In the closing hours of the last con-
gress, the senate passed Il hill that
had long been on its calendar, intend
ed to restrict the lien selections to
non-timbered lands II was a bill
that had previously heen passed by
the house, but which had been amend
ed by the senate committee. Because
of this amendment the bill was sent
to conference, and there II was again
altered, until II was amended vout of
shape and accomplished a very diff
ferent purpose from that it did as it
passed the house and senate.
Terms of Act Finally Passed
Although the bill retained it's title
"An act prohibiting the selection of
timber lands in lieu of lands i'm forest
reserves" its text was so changed
that it not only prohibited the selec-
ton of timber lands. but all lands in
exchange for lands in forest reserves.
AS finally agreed to in congress and
signed by the president, the law pro-
vdes:
That the acts of June 4, 1897, June
6, 1900, and March 3, 1901, are here
by repealed so far as they provide for
the REIMBURSEMENT, selection and pat
enting Of lands in lieu of tracts COW
cred by an unprotected bona fide
claim or patent within a forest re-
serve, but the validity of contracts
entered into by the secretary of the
interior prlor to the passage OF this
act shall not be impaired; provided,
that selections heretofore made in
lieu of lands relinquished to the
United States may be perfected, and
patents issue therefor the same as
though this act had not been
passed, and II for any reason not the
fault of the party making the same
any pending selection is held invalid
another selection for a like quantity
of land may be made in lieu there
of.
Like all laws affecting the public
domain, this new bit of legislation
mas been referred to the interior de-
0artnnent for interpretation and in
q short time circular will be issued
fully setting forth the purpose of the
law and explaining its meaning.
Because OF the phraseology of one
line, there is a division Of opinion as
to what the law really means, but
everyone comedies that 1t does not