The Washington herald., 1908-01-13
COOK FAIR DEAL
Colorado Member Calls Land
Fraud Gases Farcical.
-RAPS AT ADMINISTRATOR
Declares Prosecutors Sent West from
Washington Are Interested Only in
PrOm0tiOn-ThinkS Supreme Court
should Restrain "ImpuIsiveness."

That the administration policy OF
prosecution Of land fraud cases in Colo,
RADIO has developed into persecution is The
intimatiOn conveyed in a public letter
! sent TO all the members Of Congress. the
/ President, Vice President, Speaker mem
/ bers of the Cabinet. and heads of gov
( ernmental bureaus by George Washing
I ton Cook. member-at-large from Colo
rado,
! His letter asks for squire deal for
ALL and in part is as follows:
/ most earnestly protest against the continued
hlghhanded uaIuleio1s political persecution made D.
certain OF the department bureaus Of the government
in this city branding MANY 0f uT most honorable
uprsht and aw-abidiug business men OF CJoradl
as criminals.
Their only information and authority for such ma
lci0us statements are reports made 90 them bg
nonresident special agents and prosecutors sent
10 Colorado, whose accusations against innocent men
are foF tie sole purpose Of securing personal promo
ton m Washington and the opportunity faT the
governmental bureaus here 90 disseminate among tho
press Throughout the country Misrepresentation as
% timber land and coal thieves that do rot exist in
Colorado
Lewis Quashed Indictments.
Judge Robert Z Lewis, of the United States Dis
trict Court. Denver on December o. a. and 81
quashed all Of the indictments against some thiTty
Of orr most worthy and reputable citizens several
os whom have been engaged actively in business
in Colorado foT thirty yeaIsl on the grogna that
the government had absolutely failed 10 furnish ans
evidence whatever against these men-a most sting
ing and severe rebuke by Judge LeRis, Of the United
States District Court ian al ointee Of the present
administration. Active preparations were made b.
certain high officials in Washington for the Trosec1
tion Of these eases. and who condemn honorable
men Of mquestioned integrity before being found
guilty Of ans violation Of the law OF even given an
opportunity 0f defense
Judge Lewis decision gives universal satisfaction
% all of oar people IN Colorado regardless Of then
political affiliations. and Is iudorsed by a united
Uress- IN fact every newspaper in the State most
heartily commends Judge Lewis action-the truth
has been yindicatsd
Quotes from Editorials.
Then follows editorial expressions from
the Denver Republican, written by former
Senator T. n. Patterson. in which the
men in question are praised, as is Judge
Lewis. The article goes on 10 say that
special government prosecutors come to
the West and jump to the conclusion that
all men who have made money out Of
public lands have done so dishonesty.
The article says the laws are not liberal
enough, but that as they stand, men who
took advantage of opportunities at the
right time made money, and did It hon
estly,
A second editorial is from the Denver
News. which says 1t is time the prosecu-
ton of honest men ceased, and then saws:
'Our only regret is that the good and
necessary work of running down the
land frauds seems so likely TO cause trou-
bic and expense to honorable and worthy
men,"
Mr.. Cooks letter then goes on as fol-
lows:
Referring 10 the action taken at "the last Cab
met meeting Of the year, December s. as 10 the
Colorado cases, the esideut criticised the i1dicary
and authorized the Attorney General: The govern
msnt VIII use every means within is power % bring
about in the higher cuurts disappruyal Of the de-
cision rendered in Colorado by Judge Lewis
Ready to Meet Issue.
Our citizens are willing and ready to meet the
issue rised by the impJlsFe administration; bat as
10 the purpose on the part Of the latter I cannot
comprehend unless 70 continue in the 'limelight.
and therefore the country viii be sa7ed-from the
bureaucTats' point Of view
Tie unprecedented and dictatorial enc1uachment
Of the Executive sgainst the legislative and judicial
departments Of the government IS almost daily
threat 10 the peace and prosperity of the peace and
prosperity Of the reDublic and should be knocked
on the head by the constitutional decision of the
supreme Court Of the United States
An article in a Washington paper Of December 81
quotes the Commissioner Of the Land Office To say.
They will cali sixty to eighty violations Of the
land laws in Colorado 20 the attention Of The grand
jury, and some Of these may involve a number of
the very persons whom Judge Lewis has discharged "
Calls II Subterfuge.
This Is a slbterfuge bordering on the farcical and
is disseminated to the press Of the country for the
purpose Of misleading the public to the sDcalled
land frauds that do not and have not existed in
Colorado.
Our citizens in Colorado have vith patience sub
mitted 10 these prosecutions for alleged offenses
ard every fairminded citizen should Join in com
mendation that we have IN our beloved country true
Judges who have the courage Of their convictions
and believe a justice to every citizen and a real
square deal emphasized '
/ FUNDS In CONVENIENT FORM