Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-09-28
REVISION
OF THE
LAND LAWS
One Arbitrary Price Bad as
Another All Should Be
CruiSed


the remodeling of the public land laws
and among other things will speci6-
cally recommend the repeal Of the tim
ber and stone act, the law which has
been responsible for more fraud and
which has caused the government
greater actual loss of money than any
other public statute. The President
will base his recommendation upon the
report Of the public lands commission,
consisting Of Commissioner Richards Of
the general land Office; f. II. Newell,
head Of the reclamation service and
Clifford Pinchot, chief forester.
This commission submitted to con
gress at its last session second re-
port on its invetigation, and among
other thing said;
"Instances Of the beneficial opera
tion of the timber and stone act may
be cited, but, when il is considered from
the point of view of the general in.
terest Of the public, it becomes obvi-
Gus that this law should be repealed. ="
Since the foregoing report was pub
lished the commission has submitted
to the public printer a great appendix
containing data end facts upon which
its conclusions were based. This ap-
pendix has not yet been made public,
but an advance copy throws some light
on the facts at hand bearing on the
operation Of the timber and stone act.
The committee then deals with a
very vital feature Of the timber and
stone act, "A feature on which hinges
the validity Of many timber sales that
have been made by persons acquiring
timber land from the government. II
says;
"It appears TO this committee that
a report with reference to the good
faith of purchasers under the timber
and stone act must largely depend upon
the language used in said act. II is a
fact beyond question that there is not
a single purchaser Of land under the
timber and stone act who does not un.
derstand the law to give him the right
TO dispose Of that land and reap the
benefit thereof; that he is not required
as a purchaser under said act TO make
any specific use Of either the land or
tho timber thereon. If such be cor
rect Interpretation Of the cat, II would
seem that all sales there under, while
speculative are not in violation thereof,
where collusion does not exist. It is
a fact within the knowledge Of your
committee that in many instances par
ties who have purchased lands under
this act have utilized the proceeds OF
the sale thereof in acquiring homes
either in farm or town property. We
desire, however, TO disclaim any in
tention Of making these statements as
an argument in behalf Of the timber
and stone act, and simply submit the
foregoing as a part of the results OF
our operations.
"Your committee is further justified
in making the statement that the
greater portion of that class Of lands
coming under the provisions
of the timber and stone act, and es'
pecially as applied to the Pacific Coast
states will not become available for
farming purposes Such being the case,
it would appear that some provision
might be made for the disposal Of such
lands and the timber thereon 10 bet
ter advantage by either an amendment
of the act so as to increase the price
per acre Of its repeal and the passage
Of another law providing for the DIS
posal Of the timber at its market value
Il must be borne in mind, however,
that legislation on these lines last sug'
pested would accrue TO the benefit only
Of persons or corporations OF large
means.
"While your committee is not called
upon TO make any recommendation, It
would appear to be proper to state
that, in its judgment, If the timber
and stone act were amended so as 70
Increase the price per acre to 80 such
. provision would be no injustice TO
he public and would give a fair return
% the government for lands Of that
lass. /"
II is noted that the public lands
commission did not entirely indorse the
indings Of this special committed. The
commission did not look with favor
ipon proposition to double the price
4 timber lands, as the COMMITTEES sug'
rested. and no such scheme viii DO
.dopted by congress. 1t is admitted
hat the present price Of $3.50 an acre
- Il anna in I