The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-04-02
breeding dissatisfaction and jealousy
and seeking to tear down the struc-
ture that others are trying to erect.
A Dsxn,ned, Impartial View.

lASthOla ODSoTVer.J
For the past half-dozen years there
has been considerable agitation in
favor of the repeal of our public land
laws, and the argument has been used
that the laws were being violated,
perverted and otherwise misused by
"land-grabbing syndicates" and un-
unscrupulous people generally. Doubt
less there is some truth in the charge
that the laws have been perverted
from their original purpose just as
other laws are misused and violated.
In view of certain criticisms made
of the actions of certain congressman
who voted in the house committee on
public lands recently against the re-
peal Of the timber and stone act, The
Observer has taken occasion to ex-
anime the subject from an entirely
impartial standpoint We find that
the clamor for the repeal of the land
laws, like many other public clamors
with which our readers are familiar,
comes about in consequence of the
efforts of parties who are large hold
ers of lands which they are anxious
TO dispose Of 1t will be seen at once
that if our public land laws are re-
pealed, the chance of securing home
by any one of the one million immi-
grants who are coming to us from
foreign countries every year, or by any
of our own citizens. is very Small in
deed, and intending settlers would
therefore be practically forced to pur-
chase lands from those who have them
for sale, particularly from the holders
of large bodies of lands acquired from
land grants, railroads and land syndi-
Gates.
We have been especially interested
in an examination of the hearings
which took place before the Public
Lands Committee of the House in
March, 1904, wherein it appears that
one George Maxwell. who does con-
siderable talking through the news
papers, advertising himself as the ex-
ecutive chairman of the National Irri-
CATION association, is the paid repre-
sentative of at least six railroad COM
panies, most of which have lands for
sale. Mr.. Maxwell's testimony before
the committee exposes the whole
scheme of the rampant repealers. Be-
ing asked by member of the COM
mlttee how many railroads contrib
uted to the fund placed at his dis
posal, he answered as follows: 81 re-
ceive $4,000 year from each of the
transcontinental lines and the Bur-
lington, and $4,000 from the Rock
Island" making $4,000 altogether,
and further along he stated that this
had been going on for five years and
was still continuing. He also stated
that he received funds from other
sources, and being asked how much
he got altogether annually, he an
swered, II think the fund exceeds $780,
900 annually altogether" (This tes-
timony will be found upon page "a of
the hearings before the House Com
mittee on Public Lands, dated March
80, 19O4) Being asked the purpose
for which this money was used, Mr..
Maxwell answered that it was used
for the expenses of the National Irri-
cation association, for the circulation
OF its literature and the maintenance
OF our press bureau, and the educa-
tional campaign fund which we have
been carrying on for the past five
years."
We have information going to show
that Mr.. Maxwell has been in the
habit of spending some portion of his
$4,000 in the work of "molding public
sentiment" through one or two papers
in each of the western states whose
senators and representatives he hoped
to convert to his ideas of land law re-
peal. One of the principal champions
of Mr.. Maxwe1l's propaganda is the
Grand Forks Herald, which recently
took occasion to criticise those con-
SiessHieh WIZ Voteu III committee
against the repeal of the timber and
stone act Now we submit that a
man who has $4,000 to spend annu-
ally to bring about certain legislation
can exert very strong influence, and
it may be that some of Mr.. Maxwelrs
money has found Its way to North
nakOta Wo IN NOT COW fhof ~ no,
but the attitude of certain newspapers
which are assisting Mr.. Maxwell in
his reform work would indicate the
existence of an understanding between
interested parties that may not be
based wholly upon a patriotic desire
to serve the best interests of the pub
lie. 1t might be well for the masses
of the people. who are frequently STIR