The Washington herald., 1907-02-23
LAND POLICY SCORED
Republicans CriticiSe ROOSe-
yeIt and Hitchcock.
LIMIT DEPARTMENTS POWER
BY Overwhelming Vote, Committee
of Whole House Adopts Amendment
Matter of Alleged Fraudulent En-
trfes-Lacey Defends Roosevelt.

BY a vote of 104 70 Il the Committee
Of the Whole House yesterday adopted an
amendment to the sundry civil bin provid-
ing that no part of the appropriation OF
$4,000 for protecting public lands from
Illegal or fraudulent entry shah be avail
able for the examination of the lands en-
braced In any entry on which final proof
has been made. unless the Interior De-
partment has information furnishing good
grounds TO suspect fraud or noncompli-
ance with the law as TO that specific en-
try. This action was a blow at the land
policy of President Roosevelt and the In
terror Department
The amendment was offered by Mr..
Mondell. of Wyoming, and was advocated
by him and Messrs. Burke and Martin, of
South Dakota, and Cushman of Washing
ton, on the ground chat it is unfair 10
honest settlers, against whose entries no
charge of fraud obtains TO hold up their
entries indefinitely and prevent their get
ting patents. In the course Of the debate
Secretary Hitchcock was severely crit-
cised by Western Republicans.
Chairman Lacey. of the Committee on
Public Lands, opposed the amendment
and defended Mr.. Hitchcock and the
President
I believe that the land laws, in the
main, are wise, he said, and I am not
ready TO join in the hue and cry that, be-
cause there has been fraud under those
laws, they all ought to be changed The
President is sincere and earnest in en-
deavoring to enforce the laws. and we
never had a more honest, earnest and
sincere administrator of public affairs
than the Secretary of the Interior, who
goes out of office on March 4'
Mr. Cushman-And no more mistaken
one.
Lacey Defends Hitchcock.
Mr. Lacey-He may have been mistaken,
as everybody is liable 10 mistake, but he
has had no temptation 10 mistake on the
wrong side. He has endeavored to en-
force the law, although, think. in some
instances, with undue hardship and Sc
verify And he has caught some very
big game. Possibly he has injured some
men who were innocent and some men
who were TOO small to justify the throw
ing upon them of the gigantic ordnance
that has been fred. We know that there
has been much fraud. and we know that
a special gent travelling through the
country, with eyes and ears open. has
the best of all opportunities to ferret out
frauds And it is in the interest of the
honest settler out there that these spe-
Cial frats should not be hampered i'm
their work, that there should be enough
of them, and that they should go on and
do this work as rapidly as possible.
Mr.. Stevenson, of Minnesota. also op-
posed the amendment, for the reason that
the orders of Withdrawal as first issued
had been modified He said the first order
was as arbitrary as any ukase ever issued
by the Car Of Russia.
Mr.. Mann, of Illinois told the commit
zee that hc hoped, before the session end-
cd, to put in the Record proof which
should send beyond the pale of civiliza-
ton some men now possessed of good
populations. He protested against the
proposed restriction upon the officers Of
the department in their efforts 70 prevent
the stealing" 81 public lands.
Cushman Flags Secretary.
In a characteristic speech. Mr.. Cush-
inan pressed the amendment. Conceding
that secretary Hitchcock was honest and
well mtentioned nc said. Il do believe
that he is suffering from a severe case
OF suspicion of the integrity Of the peo-
pie of the West There is nothing in the
record of these Investigations to Justify
the continuous cry of calumny that has
been sent forth regarding land frauds
The Secretary has saturated the public
reside in the public domain are thieves
and hooters. That is not true, and never
has been true"
Speaking of the Injustice done by hold
ing up entries for investigation. Mr. Cush-
man mentioned the case of man who
sent him "a department letter four and a
half years ago. saying that his entry had
been thus held up.
Four and a half years went by. and
called at the department and was told
that the entry was still TO be investi-
gated" said Mr.. Cushman. How long. in
Gods name, must a man wait until the
government decides upon "A suspicion
There is no reason why the people OF the
West should be watched by "a horde of pTi-
vate detectives. Who is TO guarantee the
honesty of these special agents. A spe-
ciaI agent is saturated, before he starts
out with the idea of fraud. The very
existence of his job depends upon
his finding fraud. The word of men
who have lived for twenty years
with their ncighbors is more reliable and
more worthy than the word OF a special
agent appointed from the suburbs. per
haps. of a slaughter house in Chicago, I
through political influence"
Mr.. Martin said that Investigation i'm /
South Dakota revealed less than / per
cent of fraudulent cases in 1906.
Closing the discussion. which had COW
,.tct more than two hours Mr. M0udeu /
declared mas purpose 20 be to have the /
laws enforced. not suspended by Execu- /
tive order; 10 have them obcyed and re- /
spected. not ignored
The amendment was then agreed 10.