The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-12-12

| A mastery arraignment of the
thieves of public land and of the
| courts, whose punishment In many in
stances of those found guilty has been
so conspicuously inadequate as to en-
courage rather than to deter viola
tions of the law" is contained In the
anndaI report of Secretary of the In
terror E. A. Hitchcock submitted for
the information of Congress. Secre-
tary Hitchcock also deals with irriga-
ton. pensions and the Yosemite Ma
tional Park in his report. In part he
says:
spring to defraud the Government of
its public lands is being continued with
vfgOr, as is shown by the fact that 400
persons have been indicted in the vari-
Gus land States and Territories for the
violation of the public-land laws, SO
have been convicted and indictments
are still pending against 401
The zeal with which the officers of
this department and the Department of
Justice are looking into these matters
is constantly uncovering new cases that
are startling In character. but 1t Is the
policy of the administration to continue
these Investigations and prosecutions
until proper respect for the property
rights of the Government and regard
for law are established throughout
those sections of the country in which
such laws apply.
The Importance of our great public
domain to the people cannot be over
estimated 1t is the nations heritage,
and every available rod thereof should
be regarded as sacredly dedicated to
the purpose of providing homes for the
homeless. The laws enacted for the
protection of the lands should there
fore be rigidly enforced, and this has
been the cardinal principle of my adj
ministration.
CORRUPT INFLUENCES
the efforts made to release it from the
grip of It's despoilers have been met by
every embarrassment that human fnge-
nuity could devise; powerful influences
have been concerned, and have not hes
itated to aggressively exert every
agency that could be commanded to
weaken the hand of the law; even local
land-office officials have been subservi-
ent to such influences. and the punish
ment imposed by the courts has, in
many cases, been so conspfcuously in
adequate as to encourage rather than
deter violations of the law. Whether
this official stagnation is due In any
degree to local political influences to
which these officials are more or less
retention of their positions, is not i'm
portant to discuss at this time, 1t being
sufficient to state that 1T is deplora-
BILE fact that such action, or rather in
action. is bringing reproach upon the
public service, besides enhancing the
difficulties which beset the administra-
ton in any efforts that it may make TO
rescue the public domain from serious
peril.
In the discharge of my duty under
the law / have proceeded without the
slightest prejudice for or against any
person or persons Interested In such
efforts as have been made to protect
the service under my supervision from
the ravages of inordinate greed / have
not considered either the station or the
power of the guilty. Apparently they
are all on the same footing; in my
Judgment, however, the higher the Of
society and law. because of the force
and influence of the higher example.
1t is not possible for persons and cor
porations of great influence and power
to maintain Enclosures of the public