Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1905-07-24
EASTERN PRESS OPINION OF The
DISGRACED SENATOR.
His Conviction Has Called the Affen-
tiOn of the Country to the Gigantic
Land Frauds That Have Been Per.
petrated All Over the Pacific
Coast States.

John Nipple Mitchell, United States
senator from Oregon, has been found
guilty Of using his official position for
private profit. The specific offense OF
which he was charged is defined in sec.
ton 1882 of the revised statutes of the
United States, which says: "No senator
after his election, and during his con-
tinuance in office. shall receive or agree
to receive any compensation whatever,
directly or indirectly, for any service
rendered to any person, either by him.
self or another, in relation to any pro-
ceeding, contract, claim, controversy, or
other matter, or thing in which the
United States ls a party or directly or
indirectly interested before any depart'
ment, bureau, officer, or any civil. mili'
tary, or naval commission whate YER"
The penalty provided is not moe than
two years. imprisonment and not more
than $4,000 fine.
Gigantic land frauds in Oregon and
Washington were perpetrated, largely
through the exercise Of Mitcllell's influ.
ence in the interior department. AS the
Boston Transcript puts it: "From the
evidence given in a long trial it seems
clear that he was the paid attorney in
the senate and before the inte, ior depart
ment of parties who were actively en-
gagged in gigantic frauds on the public
lands, and of whose character and de-
signs he can not have been ignorant.
The trial, though it was on the specific
charge mentioned, opened up to con.
siderable extent on the testimony given
the scope Of the great swindle of which
he was one of the agents. lie was de-
Tended by able counsel who exhausted
legal subtlety in his behalf. and the
energy and ingenuity Of the defense are
indicated by the circumstance that the
jury was eight hours in reaching ver-
dict. That he was convicted is evidence
of the failure OF the machine to which
he and Hermann belonged, and which
long has dominated the republican party
Of Oregon"
Some consolation in the deplorable
situation is found by the Pittsburg Times
in the fact that rascals have been brought
to book. Hundreds of thousands oil
acres of land, worth millions of dollars
have been taken fraudulently fror, the
United States during the past generation.
Men have amassed great fortunes by
their corrupt practices in this regard and
every good citizen must rejoice over the
knowledge that at last some OF them are
being brought to justice. 1t is not pleas
ant to see members OF our highest legis-
lative body implicated, but the fact that
their position is not availing to protect
them goes far toward removing the sting.
If the matter is carried to conclusion
with the energy that has been displayed
so far the incident will become notable
one in our history"
In the downfall of Mitchell himself the
Springfield Republican can see but little
to regret. "He has we'll earned the fate
which now overwhelms him. Always Of
coarse fiber, he has never won the full
confidence of the most acute and honest
men Of his state, of which he has been at
several periods one Of the senators in
Washington. His elections to that Office
were always stormy and marked by q
low tone Of political striving. He must
now retire to private life, bereft of all
that honorable public men hold dear.
From this point Of view he presents a
melancholy spectacle, without being en-
titled to particle Of popular sympathy. "