Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-01-30
DRIVES Settlers OUT
Senator Carter, of Montana,
savagely Attacks Interior
Department
HITCHCOCK is AaaA'eNEo
Carter Says President Has Been Mis-
led Regarding Homestead and Land
Entries and That as Result of Dras-
tic Measures Settlers Have Been
Forced to Go to Canada.

| Washington, Jan. 29.-Severe criti-
cism of Secretary Hitchcock was made
in the senate today by Senator Garter
| of Montana. The criticism was based
December, which prohibits the issu-
ance of patent to land under any OF
the land laws until after examination
on the ground by special agent.
Senator Carter some time ago present.
cd a resolution which denies the right
of any executive officer to prevent the
granting of patent when the law un-
der which Ii is claimed has been car
ried out.
Mr.. Carter began by asserting that
the order referred to expressed the
final estimate of the secretary as to
the truth and veracity, the honor and
integrity and the good faith of all set
tiers on the public domain of the Unit
ed States. lit likewise arraiglhs," he
added, "all other persons seeking title
to public land under existing laws.
The order is without precedent in
the history of the government 1t is
without parallel in the history Of any
government, save as applied to prov
inces, classes or individuals suspected
of reasonable designs. 1t is the Gu
mination of a policy unwarranted in
fact and founded only on baseless sus-
picon. The public records demon
strate that the order is not only need
less but harsh. cruel and oppressive.
For the last six years sensational
reports OF evil doings In the public
lands states have been emanating from
the interior department from day to
day. SO sweeping in their scope as to
create the impression In other sections
that the entire western population is,
and has been engaged in a veritable
saturnalia OF criminal conspiracy,
fraud and perjury, over the whole
broad surface of the public domain.
Since 1901, insidious interviews and
boisterous proclamations have passed
from the interior department to the
public press, rejecting upon all those
seeking title to public lands. The
words 'grafters, land grabbers,' con-
spirators,' hooters OF the public do
MAN, and like terms have become a
part of the vernacular Of the secre
tary's office in referring to public land
entrymen Of all kinds. The routine
work of the land service has been pill
aged in quest of items for publication.
rejecting on individuals and commune
ties. The slightest irregularity. saw
oring of scandal or possible sensations
has been diligently exploited before,
during and after investigation. Every
We're ever recorded in these scandalous
reports. The exploitation of evil re-
ports has been conspicuous feature
of the present secretary's admnistra
ton.
Fraud has been constantly and voci-
ferously shouted from the housetops.
Every item or incident colorado by
suspicion into sensational appearance
has been given wings. Ordinary oc-
have been magnified into
the semblance Of great events. On the
assumption that our settlers are land
thieves in the main, the most odious,
oppressive and exasperating treatmen.
has been meted out to them in numer-
Gus cases for the last five or six years.
Residents of the public land states no
longer enjoy the presumption of inno-
cence, but rather face the presumption
of guilt. They are charged with con-
spiracy to despoil their own states, to
limit their future possibilities by OPP
pressing themselves and with cheat
ing their government in the interest in
grasping spectators. No exceptions
are made by the order of December IS.
AS to the effect of this policy, Mr..
Carter had this to say:
Suspected at every turn of the road
of evil design, harassed by special
agents and exasperatin requirements of
the interior department, it is not sur
prising that two honest homeseekers
left the United States to locate i'm Caf-
ada during the year 1906 to one that
filed homestead entry on the public
domain of the United States. While
we are pinching, suspecting and har-
assing our homestead settlers, the
Canadian government, approaching this
class of people, as they were appre-
ciated in this country in the days gone
by, extends cordial welcome to Amer
lean homeseekers entering the domin-
ion. The Canadian law requires only
three years residence on a homestead,
whereas our law requires five, and the
order of the secretary will add from
one to ten years more to the time limit
fixed by our statute"
In concluding, Mr. Carter said:
"To the band Of Pharisees who base
their claims to personal honesty and
public attention on the merciless SLAM
dering of their neighbors. it is useless
to submit any question in the expecta-
ton of obtaining fair and impartial
treatment He who would establish his
own reputation for virtue by pointing
to the alleged lack of that quality in
others ere lorg becomes the victim Of
a confined habit of discrimination. Such
an individual will meet law and facts
with opprobious epithets while at
tempting to smother the logic of figures
beneath an avalanche of innuendo and
falsehood. From that class of persons
the good people settling the west need
expect neither justice, comfort nor sup
port, but only additional insult and in
jury"
Gigantic Conspiracy.
IT'S gigantic conspiracy, Of Coughs,
Colds, etc, against you. Foil it with DR..
Kings New Discovery soc and 81 90