Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1907-01-18
Wait For Patents.

tllS sldle II tne reported action or
Senator Carter in seeking to prevent
the wholesale withdrawal of the public
lands and the suspension OF land en-
tries by the Secretary of the Interior
Hitchcock unless that official show the
authority under which he is operating
Senator Carter, who was Commissioner
Of the General Land Office under Pres
ident Harrison and is conversant with
general land Office practices, has pre-
sented a resolution in the Senate in
which he saws he will attempt to show.
at an early date, that the Secretary of
the Interior acted entirely without au-
,hority when he published an order on
December IS last, prohibiting the issu-
aace Of land patents to homestead en-
trymen under all laws, regardless of
conditions.
The order OF Secretary Hitchcock,
TO which exception has been taken by
Senator Carter, and to which general
resentment is offered by the people of
this state, is presumed to have been
made by that officer in harmony with
that part of President Roosevelt's mes
sage in which he proposed that all
homestead and other entries to public
lands be investigated by special agents
and duly reported on as to the regu-
larity with which the entry was made
and final proof offered, before patent
shall issue to'such lands.
But there are in this state many en-
trymcn whose claims should have
passed to patent for the last several
months and these are envolved in the
general order that has been made by
Secretary Hitchcock and the anxious
settler must patiently put up with this
additional delay until steps can be taken
10 hasten the same to patent or cause
the Secretary of the interior TO show
his authority for his action. 1t is un-
derstood there are more than 200 of
these entrymen holding claims in the
Siletz country who must wait for patent
until the Interior Department is ready
to issue them.
"This action on the part of Secretary
Hitchcock in prohibiting the issuance
Of land patents to homestead entrymen
under all laws by which these lands
have been acquired and regard less of all
conditions is but another high handed
proceeding on the part OF the official
head OF the Interior Department in
keeping with his uniform and inconsist-
ent policy so antagonistic to this state
and its interests said prominent land
Office practitioner. in discussing the sit
nation yesterday afternoon. sIt so
happens that Senator Carter having
been General Commissioner of the
Land Office under President Harrison,
is acquainted with the details of the
public land business and in the interest
of the outraged ehtrymen he has taken
a hand in the situation and will de-
mand that the Secretary of the Interior
at least justify his position and his rul-
ings. The truth OF the matter is Sec
retary Hitchcock is acting entirely
without justification and has appropri-
ated to himself rights and privileges
in ordering the wholesale withdrawal
public lands, the suspension of entries
to the same and an interruption in the
regular routine of issuing patents to
lands that should be passed to patent,
that are alone vested in Congress.
More interest is taken in Land Office
circles here in the proposed anullment
of the timber and stone act, which has
been favorably reported by the Senate
public lands committee, and substitut-
ing therefore a law directing that the
Government retain title to its remain
ing timber lands, selling only the tim
ber at not less than appraised value.
This bill will in reality create forest
reserves Of all unappropriated Govern
ment timber land which can never pass
to private ownership and be taxed as
such. An amendment to the bill has
been agreed to by which % per cent OF
the money derived from the sale OF
the timber on these lands shall be paid
TO the counties in which the timber is
cut as compensation for this loss in
taxes.
This proposed legislation is said to be
directly in the interest OF the huge
timberand Spectators. 1t is main.
tanned that the individual applicant fol
timber on any tract would stand but
little prospect OF concluding deal fol
ihe purchase OF timber in competition
With such spectators as the Weyer