The Springfield herald., 1907-04-12
READY TO QUIT
BIG LANDS TAKEN BY FRAUD TO
BE GIVEN BACK.
COMMISSION AFTER LEADERS
and e. II. Hartman May Benefit
General Western Interests.


During the past week heated con
troversy has been going on between
President Roosevelt and f. H. Harri-
man, the railroad magnate, over al
legged campaign contributions. Mr.. Har-
riman claims that President Roosevelt
solicited him for funds ito save the
day." and that he responded with
something like $4,000. President
Roosevelt brands Hartman as
plain. everyday prevaricator. The
wordy war has shaken Wall Street and
Washington like 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 volun-
tary restoration to the public domain
of large areas of western coal lands
claimed by the government to have
been fraudulently obtained. 1t 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
ern and union Pacifics.
In statement inspired at the White
House it is asserted that Harriman's
interest in the New York campaign in
1904 was actuated by desire to sue
ceed Depew in the Senate. This is
denied by New York politicians.
Wall Street was depressed as re-
ties suffering most But the magnate
himself showed no signs of the scrim-
mage. He would not discuss it, but
was more than usually joyous.
GUS.
Washington.-It has been learned
that the Hartman corporations, whose
ramiticationS extend to coal lands and
other vast interests in the far West,
are Offering to restore to the govern
ment properties they have heretofore
claimed as theirs by good and ample
title. They prefer to do this rather
than be prosecuted.
The Interstate Commerce Commits
sion several months ago set about in
vestigating land frauds in Wyoming,
Colorado and Utah. 1t found that this
whole region was honeycombed with
corruption and that the officials placed
to see that the law was observed were
incompetent or worse, in that they per-
mitted the railroad companies and
their allied corporations, the Union
Pacific Coal Company, the Utah Fuel
Company and the Colorado Fuel and
Iron Company. to secure, by various
and devious methods. control of great
areas of the richest coal lands in the
West.
As n result of its Investigations. the
Department of Justice was given
transcripts of testimony taken at
Omaha, Salt Lake, Denver and Pueblo
by Interstate Commerce Commission
ers Prouty and Clark and was di-
rected by the President to prosecute
in any cases where there was ground
for prosecution.
At the first suggestion of prosecu-
tion, however. the Union Pacific Coal
Company has capitulated. 1t has made
n proposition to the government that
1t will return large area of Wyoming
| coal lands to which 1t admits its title
| is worthless. The government law Of
ficers are considering this proposition,
and while final action has not been
taken, 1t was learned to-day. on the
authority of men who have been con-
| Quoting the investigation, that 1t will
probably be accepted and the lands re-
turned to the public domain.
But this is only beginning. The
government intends to go after still
greater properties held under suspi
cious titles.