The Washington herald., 1907-01-31

cr lines leading to the new Washington union
station, McssIs. Carter Hepburn, and Fulton
attacked the administration public land policy,
Secretary Hitchcock and President Roosevelt be
ms criticised The Senate adjourned % today.
Tie House passed the agricultural aDDropra-
tl1u b.il with amendments Chairman Nsds-
worth. of the Agricultural Committee. made
speech IN Justification Of his attitude on the
meat inspection bill last year. the order for the
consideration of the and harb0r bin, which
IS 10 come MP to-day. resulted in a warm debate.
Tie House adjourned t1 to-day.
Three Republican SenaJors-Mr. Carter,
Of Montana; Mr.. Hepburn. of Idaho. and
Mr. Fulton. Of Oregon-spoke yesterday on
the formers resolution regarding home
stead entries n the West Mr.. Carter
vigorously attacked Secretary of the In
terror Hitchcock. while Mr. Hepburn went
considerably farther and criticised the
President because of the attitude of the
administration in the matter of public
lands. The speeches caused a noticeable
furry on the Republican side of the Sen
ate, but no defenders Of the President or
the Sec etary appeared.
Mr.. Hepburn pointed out that, in a re-
cent special message on the public lands.
the President had admitted that he had
given direction 10 "a Cabinet officer to sus-
pend the law" Mr. Hepburn declared
that the Supreme Court had decided that
the President could not do this lawfully.
Tie Senator asserted that out Of 100000
homestead entries there lad been only
eighty-four cases of proved fraud. Il
tEinL the homestead laws were far better
before Congress commenced TO tinker
with them" said he. to which Messrs.
SpooHer and Hale nodded assent.
The frauds about which we hear so
much exist largely in the Imagination"
continued Mr. Hepburn. we pass our
laws loosely. We stop short of compile
tiOn., and SHY subject to such rules and
regulations as the Secretary of the In
terror may make We are getting to be
81 government by rules and regulations"
Senator Hale Approves.
Senator Hale again nodded approval.
and Mr. Hepburn continued:
Il intend go introduce a resolution call
ing for a list of all rules and regulations
issued by the various executive depart
ments. We have the ability and time
here in Congress to make rules and regu-
lations. and it is our duty"
He drew q picture of homesteader
who extended his land. complied with re-
quirements, and. when five years had
elapsed and the time had come FOR him TO
take out a patent was notified that his
patent had been held up until Congress
appropriated the necessary money 90 pay
for special agents 10 Investigate. There
are 52,eJ0 patents now tied up in this way"
said Mr. Hepburn. who suspended with a
promise 10 resume to-day II is under
stood that other Republican Senators will
join in the attack ou Mr.. Hitchcock
Senator Carter took for his text the
recent order of the Secretary TO the Com
missioner of the General Land Office.
which says:
That no patent be hereafter issued %
public land under any law until. by an
examination on the ground by a special
agent of your Office. or such other officer
or agent Of this department as may be-
designated by the Secretary of the IN
terror. actual compliance with that law
has been found to exist"
This order of the Honorable Secretary
of the Interior" declared Senator Carter.
expresses his final estimate Of the truth
and veracity, the honor and integrity.
and the good faith of all the settlers on
the public domain of the United States.
IL likewise urrUisus an other persons
seeking title 10 public land under existing
laws. ], is without precedent OF parallel
In The history of this or any other gov
cr2meE- save as applied TO individuals
suspected OF reasonable designs.
Department Reports Criticised.
For the last six years" he continued.
sensational reports of evil doing I'm the
pHblic-laud States have been cmanating
from the Interior Department from day
10 day. $50 sweeping in their scope as 10
create the impression that the entire
Western population is. and has been en-
gagged IN veritabie satUrnalia of criminal
conspiraCy- fraud. and perjury
THE exploitation Of evil reports has
been "a conspicuous feature Of the present
Secrctary's administration. on the as
sumption that our settlers are land thieves
in the main. the most odtous. oppressive
and eNaspcratinS treatment has been
injected out 60 them i'm numerous cases for
the last five or SIX years. Unchecked by
contradiction. cmbOldened by non-resist-
ence from the West and unmerited ap-
plause from other quarters. the Secretary
finally violated the legal rights and as
sailed the veracitv and integrity of hun
dreds OF thousands of cOuntrymen on the
public domain by and through the brief
order complained Of.
THE fact that every alleged fraudulent
transaction was initiated and consum-
mated under the administration of the
present Secretary has not been given pub
licity.
IT fully realize." declared the Senator.
"tbat even the President of the United
States has been deceived and alarmed by
the current, oft-repeated and uncontra-
Gicted reports of the Secretary.
Demands Hearing on Facts.
In the name of Justice, I'm behalf OF
more than $4,000 enrymen on the public
domain in the name Of the families de
pendent upon them, Z ask for "a hearing
from the Senate the President. and tine
country, on the cold and silent facts as
disclosed by the government records"
The Senator then entered upon criti-
cal analysis of thc land-Office records.
and concluded as follows.
Ito the band of Phurisees who base
their claims 60 personal honesty and
public attention en- the merciless SIAN
deriug OF their neghbors 10 is useless
TO submit any question in Che expectation
Of obtaining fair and impartial treatment.
He who would establish his own reputa-
ton for virtue by pointing to the alleged
lack of that quality I'm others. ere long
becomes victim of d confirmed habit
Of DISSEMINATION. Such an individual will
meet law and facts with opprobrious
epithets. while attempting 10 smother
the logic az figures beneath an avalanche
of innuendo and falsehood From that
class OF persons the good people settling
in the West need expect neither justice.
comfort. nor support, but only additional
Insult and injury.
Mr.. Fulton. Of Oregon-the State in
which Secretary Hitchcock convicted one
Senator. the late John H. Mitchell: one
Representative, Mr.. williamson, and in