Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-02-13

about twenty millions of people. The
gvealth Of the country represented by
the application of those laws dur
ms that time can only be counted in
thu multiple figures OF millions
They are older than the public exper-
fence of any man in this body. We
know them and there is ssSght "-~oNno
for complaining OF the Han1 Jaws.
There never was a more perfect sys-
tenn of settlement, the building of the
states, conceived by mortal man than
is embodied in those land laws, and I
so speak because we have the results
before us. and It is not a conjecture,
but an experience"
| With regard to the wholesale frauds
which are alleged to exist throughout
the west Senator Hepburn contended
than according to the records of the
interior department, fraud was at a
very minimum. as only one third OF
one per cent of all the entries made
last year were found to be tainted
with fraud or mistake, and a majority
OF them were cancelled because of mis-
take and not of fraud. The senator
also contended that the laws are no.
responsible for fraud, and said: "Now
the fraud, where fraud exists, or to
the extent that 1t exists, and to which
the president referees IN this message
Is not fraud occurring under the law,
but It occurs under rules and regula-
tions. either uncertain I'm their meaning
or difficult to be complied with. 81"
One objection OF Senator Hepburn
to the procedure under the order of
the president which directs a personal
examination by a special agent Is that
, 1t is an ex parte examination in which
the homesteader. the real party in In :
terest, does not participate. He told
Of an instance in which a homesteader
had written him that special agent
had gone to his home twice during
his absence, and reported the fact that
he had visited the place twice ana
found no noe living Tiers. and the
homesteader states that on both oc-
CT sions he was away oil business.
On the subject of withholdi.e min
: ing patents pending an examination
|, on the ground the senator was force
full. AS is we'll known Senator Hey
hurn is one of the best mining law
yers in the country: am ee scent
considerable time in giving review
OF the mining industry of the country
under the present law. He made con-
siderable fun of the experts the de-
partment proposed to employ On
this subject he said: 1.-THE proposi-
Etion that the location of a prospectir
scrutiny of an expert" sent out by
any department of the government, or
from ary source whatever, before
! that claim shall be recognized as hav-
ing legal status emitting the owner
to possession and the right of develop
. ment, is beyond comprehension. The
r history of mining should have taught
those who are responsible for such a
, declaration that 1t is not only imprac-
. ticable, but that it would result in a
complete stagnation of the mining in
, dustry of the country. The mines that
in this day and in the days of the past
) have produced the hundreds of mill
lions of dollars which have haap al
ded to the wealth of this country were
) condemned by the experts of the min
, ing or so-called mining" world. one
; after another, until II has become a
matter of jest and ridicule to talk
about having the opinion of an ex-
! pert"