The Delta independent., 1907-04-12
READY TO QUIT
BIG LANDS TAKEN BY FRAUD TO
BE GIVEN BACK.
COMMISSION AFTeRLEADERS
Huet'on Between President Roosevelt
and E. Il. Hartman May Benefit
General Western Interests.

During the past week heated COZ
troversy has been going on between
President Roosevelt and e. II. Harri-
man, the railroad maguate. over al
legged campaign contributions Mr Har-
riman claims that President Roosevelt
solicited him for funds TO save the
day" and that h" responded with
something like $4,000. President
Roosevelt brands Hartman as a
plain. everyday prcvariCator. The
wordy war has shaken Wall Street and
Washington llh" an earthquake.
AS one result Of the ROosevelt-Harri
man controversy. It is said the rail
way magnate, fearing the. hostility Of
the government. will order the yOluR-
tary restoration To- the public domain
Of large areas OF western coal lands
claimed by the government to have
been fraudulCnlly obtained II is also
on the cards that an attempt will be
made in the courts to force him to re-
lInquish the joint control of the South
"rn and union PaCihCs
In statement inspired at the White
House 1t is asserted that Hartman :
interest in tn" New York campaign in
1904 WAS aCtual"d by a desire to sue
Cc"d Dcpew in III" Senate. This is
denied by New York politicians.
Wall Street was depressed as a re
suit OF the affair" Hartman sccuri-
ties suffering most But the magnate
himself showed no signs OF the scrim-
mage. He would not discuss II. but
was more than usually Joyous.
Gus.
WashlnEtuu.-lt has been learned
that the Hartman corporations. whose
Tamihcatious extend to coal lands and
other vast Interests IN the far West.
are offering TO restore to the govern
mcut properties they have hcrclofor.
claimed as theirs by good and amp"
ute They prefer to do this rather
than be prosecuted.
The Interstate Commerce Commits.
sion several months ago set about in.
l,silEaiing land frauds In Wyoming
Colorado and rtah. f. found that this
whole region was honeyComhed with
corruption and that the officials placed
iu so" that IN" law was observed were
incompetent or worse. IN that they per
milI.d the railroad companies and
their allied corporations. the Union
Pacific Coal Company. tn" liah Fuel
Company and III" Colorado Fuel and
Iron Company. to secure. by various
and devious methods. control of great
areas Of tn" richest coal lands in the
West
As result Of It's Investigations, the
Department uf Justice was given
transcripts Of Testimony taken at
Omaha. Salt Lake. Denver and Pueblo
by Interstate Commerce Commission
crs Prouiy and Clark and was di
rrctcd by tho President to prosecute
in any cases where there was ground
for prosecution.
~ the frat suggestion Of pruscCu'
tiou. however. IN" Union Pacific Coal
Company has Capirulaiod- Il mas made
a proposition to IN" government that
II VIII return larg" area of Wyoming
coal lands to which ii admits Its title
rs worthless The government law OF
nc,Is ar" considering this proposition
and while final action has not been
taken II was learned to-day. on the
autburIty ui men who have been con
duc,iur the Investigation. that ii will
probably b" accepted and the lands re
turned to the public domain
But this Is only a beginning Tn"
Eu,-rnm"nt intends to 20 after still
greater properties held under suspi'
Ciuus titles