Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-12-15
HITCHCOCK AND
LANDGRABBERS
SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR IS
A TERROR TO ALL OF
THEM.


ilton Byrd, in summary of the work
done by Secretary Hitchcock with re-
gard to the land grabbers, says:
1t has been bit of surprise to the
see the way in which the Secretary
of the Interior, Mr.. Ethan Allen Hitch
cock, has made good in his land fraud
prosecutions in the west. 1t was new
er supposed year ago that the gov
eminent could secure conviction of
any congressman Or senator in Oregon.
1t was said openly that in attempting
to fasten anything Oh Representative
Williamson. the secretary had been
unwisely advised, and was getting him
self into precipitate hole. In fact
Mr.. Hitchcock's enemies seemed to be
honestly pleased with the action of his
department, believing that he was ov-
erreaching himself and that he would
become discredited On the contrary,
he has done all that he claimed he
would, and more, pursuing the thieves
and grafters with the same relentless
spirit of his distinguished ancestor who
gained fame at Ticonderoga.
1t has been quite amusing to watch
the land fraud developments in the In
terror Department, especially with
their reference to Secretary Hitchcock
as a cabinet minister. Mr.. Hitchcock
was one of President Mckinley's cabi-
net, following the resignation of G. II.
Bliss. of New York Mr.. Hitchcock soon
developed penchant for reform in
MS department-and long before Mr..
Roosevelt became president there was
talk that Mr.. Hitchcock would prob
ably resign-as soon as he had finish
ed with certain investigations being
made at that time. Just who is re-
SponSible for the starting of these rll-
mors may not be told. The sources
vary. but the rumors nevertheless
have been so constant or rather SO
regular at intervals of four or five
moths. that it has become a huge joke
in Washington to hear that change
is being considered in the Interior De.
partment portfolio.
They Wish the Rumors Were True.
At one time, when the interior de
partment is. for instance, Investigate
ing Indian scandals, it may be one
class of prominent citizens who with
the wish father to the thought, hear
that Mr. Hitchcock is likely to be sue
ceeded by some one else. At another
time the representatives of the cattle
men. whose miles of barbed wire fence
are being cut or removed by orders
from the secretary of the Interior may
be responsible indirectly for rumol
of Mr. HitchcOcks removal and al
all times the land and timber thieves
of the far west are ready to fill in q
gap When there has been no news
paper comment on this subject for 6
reasonable period
The amount of it is that the ad
ADMINISTRATION can not get along with
out Mr.. Hitchcock. His rugged hon
esty and determination to weed ou
the bloodsuckers and grafters who are
despOiling the nation of its agricultur
al lands and its great timber resour
ces have highly commended them
selves to every patriotic man and WON
an who have followed MS course, an,
while his work is undoubtedly highly
satisfactory to the administration ant
to the president who has himself eX
pressed strong views on this question
of land and timber grabbing. even i
it should be desired to get rid of Sec
rotary Hitchcock, it would be an eX
tremely difficult and undiplomati'
move to make.
Obviously with the head of depart
ment in the midst of important frau,
prosecutions, amounting to scandal
and with such brief announcements
every now and then of other investiga
tions. covering practically all of thu
western states, it would never do t.
accept mans resignation. The or,
would go up that the cattlemen, o
the timbermen. or the grafters genel
ally had forced the secretary out of OF
fee.
Strong Friend of Government lrrigs
ton.
Secretary Hitchcock is an ardent be
lever in and supporter of the govern
ment irrigation policy. He stated re
Gently to a friend that he did no
know of anything at this time whic
was of much more interest and impol
lance, in the way of internal affairs
than The irrigation of the arid land
of the west. No man could have mad
stronger recommendation for the es
laDlSnm2nt OF a government DOllc
than he in his annual reports mad
during President McKinley's admin:
tration, when irrigation was looked III
on as an irdescent dream. He Gale
attention to the fact that the govern
ment photographic surveyors ha
found a western water supply runnin
to waste which if stored and used fo
irrigation, would irrigate over sevent
million acres of absolutely desert Ian
and worthless for anything but scar
stock grazing. 1t was not in keepin
with the spirit of the times he sal,
that this vast acreage of eXtremel
fertile but unproductive land shoul
lie idle. 1t should be reclaimed an
made productive, creating new home
for thousands of citizens and addin
vast sums to the wealth of tne n;
ton.
When Mr.. Roosevelt became pres
dent, the question Immediately becam
a live one. everybody got in behind
and put his shoulder to the wheel an
the plan went through and upon b
sis which can recommend itself
highest terms to all, for the COVER
ment simply advances the money fl
the building of these great irrigatiC
works and the entire amount is pa
back, and willingly, too. by the sc
tiers, in easy installments
The Secretary Was Ready to Begin
The passage of the irrigation a