The Washington times., 1907-01-27
HITCHCOCK ATTACK
PLANNED IN SENATE
Speakers VIII Allege Home
stead Laws Drive Out
EmigrantS.
Whole Development OF the
West IS Said to Be at
Stake in Issue.

Charsiug that the administration of
the homestead laws OF this country is
driving American hOmeseekers cut OF
the United States, and that Canada Is
getting the very cream of emigrants
from the middle Western States. willis
the far Western States are getting very
few. the Western Senators are opening
. campaign against the Hitchcock adj
uinistIation OF the public domain.
Senator Carter of Montana viii Open
the series of speeches on Tuesday which
VIII occupy several days. In fact, il
is expected that worry little VIII be done
ia the Senate the coming week aside
from discussion or this subject Among
Senators who VIII talk on the subject.
are. Carter of Montana, Clark OF Wyom-
ing. Hepburn of Idaho. Flint and Per
Eins Of California, Long of Kansas, and
probably as many others. whose States
aye deeply interested in this question.
Much at Stake in West
Senator Carter declares that the whole
development of the West is at stake;
that people who would like TO locate in
the United States are going by prefer
ence t. Canada. where instead OF I'VE
Years OF uninterrupted residence, as re-
quted in this country there IA required
only three ycaIs of residence, and dur
int thar period only six months in each
Year aud where. furthermore, a home
steader may secure patent II he lives
uu nearby land which me owns rather
than ou the homestead itself. Between
These easy conditions and the efforts OF
Jup Canadian Immigrant railroads,
which are making the most inviting
terms 90 induce Americans To settle I'm
C4uada, the situation has been reached
where more Americans are taking home
sleads iu Canada than IN the United
States
Hat this is not all of the grievance Of
the Western States il is charged fur
Jher that the administration Of The for
est reserve law has resulted in creating
huge asreas of forest reserves which AZ,
Withdrawn from settlement and develop
meHt, with the Result that i'm effect IA,
available areas of the States are re-
uuced 20 this extent The States cauno
STOW when large proportions Of JheiI
lands are held out from possibility o.
development OF J.ts fashion.
'Iuey have Withuraw n Is, 800. 000 acres
of coal lands ia my state" said Sena-
tor Garter. and the Geological Survey
understand. has declared that ia time
about 41suO0000 square miles in tie state
viii have 40 be reserved as coal lands.
Add % that tGF forest reserves and Ia
dian reservations, and we are in sigh
oI the time when more than One-hall
uI -He area of that great State Will not
bee available Tor settlement and de
velopmanJ- That presents "A mighty seri-
Gus sItuation Tor a great Western com
munity Vilch must develop il al all
through immigration.
Senator Carter and the ohters Whc
will follow him in the discussion Of This
question propose 10 show further .hai
there has been no such sauruaIia OF
has been charged. They viii attack tht
Land Office and the Interior Depart
meuJ with The charge thar since 1850
there has been spent s2.e'0 600 Tor tn,
service of following mp detecting, un-
covering ana prosecuting frauds agains
the land laws, and onc-uhird or
per cent of homestead entries have beer
vacated
Will Show Frauds Small.
They viii take up the operations o.
the timber and stone act. under whici
1t has been alleged that wholesale fraud
have beer committed and viii urde-
Jake 10 show that instead IF Tcezlu.
and fostering with corruption, m,
operations OF that law have develope
remarkably small proportion Of fTau,
and crime.
The Senators take the position tia
when the President issued his eNarUIlVl
orders SUspeudiuE proceedings toWar
titles 10 public lands, and withdraw .ui
immense areas from entry he was act
ing merely on the advice OF mis- Seere
tary OF the Interior, who misied him
The attack will be aimed at Secretar
Hitchcock and his administration. an
there viii be- some startling statements
In the course OF the discussion.