The Washington herald., 1908-04-25

Land-gTabbing at the Nations CapitaIt
While hundreds Of Uncle Sans indus
trious agents have been securing the
Western country to unearth shady trans
actions in government territory, right in
Washington. under the very nose Of Con-
gress and the departments, nd-grabbers
are asserted to have been active. and to
have secured ground which must be
worth many millions Of dollars.
If the predictions which were made yes
terday by members OF the House Com
mittee on Public Buildings and Grounds
come true-and there is every reason to
believe that they will-Washington bids
fair to be conyulsed this summer with
the choicest investigation which t has
witnessed since the Post-ofice scandal,
years ago.
Hundreds Of cases similar to that OF
Sidney Sieber-who became possessed OF
government land on the mere shadow Of
tax title''-haye already been unearthed
by Congressional committee, and as yet,
perhaps. no one knows where such revela-
ton VIII stop
Corporations Gain Control.
Not only have private parties, Ike
Bieber, been found to have become pos
sessed of land in strange ways, but cor
porations in the District have taken simi-
lar liberties. and have, as time passed.
gained control over the nations land
under the eyes OF all the government
officials.
1t was announced yesterday by Repre-
sentative Bartholdt. chairman of the
House Committee on Public Buildings
and Grounds. that a provision entailing
some such Investigation viii be tackled
on the omnibus public buildings bin,
which viii be reported to the House next
week.
Under this provision a commission con
sisting of the Secretary Of War the At
torney General the chairman Of the Dis
trict Commissioners. and the chairman OF
both the House and Senate committees
on Public Buildings and Grounds viii be
provided
This commission will investigate TO the
fullest extent the hundreds Of cases in
which the government has lost control OF
lands in the District, with no less reason
than has been shown in the Bieber case.
This commission, which Is constituted
of such high offlcials-evidentlY meant 10
90 most serious work-wiIl SIT. It Is under
stood. all through the coming summer,
and will report to Congress. If possible,
at the opening Of the next session. That
il will have a wonderful report to make
is certain. if the indications are to be
relied upon.
Bieber's Efforts Start Probe.
The whole investigation has been caused
by the revelations on the floor Of the
Senate by Mr.. Carter. of Montana. that
grants of land TO Sidney Bieber. made
under a section of the public buildings
and grounds bill of 1907, were not good
grants and should be declared void.
This declaration of a Senator of the
United States. accompanied by a severe
arraignment and followed shortly by one
which was even more severe, set not only
the War Department, but the members
Of the House Committee on Public Build
ings and Grounds at work deeply think
ing
Representative BarthoIdt declared soon
after Mr.. CaTter's speech that the grant
to Bieber. under bill reported from his
committee. did not indicate that his COM
mittee had been derelict in its cOnsidera-
ton OF the bill IN which the provision
for the grant. or conveyance was made
Shortly after this declaration on the
floor Of the House. Mr. Bartholdt ap-
pointed a subcommittee OF his commit
tee. which took up the matter Of the
'Bieber grants, and made as full an in
vestigation as the time has warranted.
This subcommittee asceTtained. through
the War Department and other sources,
that not only had Bieber secured valu-
able land in the District by somewhat
uncertain title, but that in hundreds OF
other cases. almost similar conveyances
fS.y-e, been made.
Find Need for Investigation.
After several weeks. IN which this work
was carried on quietly by the subeom-
mittee and the War Department it was
decided that full investigation was alb
solutely imperative TO the governments
interests.
This investigation Is to be Of such i'm
port that a commission composed OF
high officials must undertake r. After
some consideration OF the best manner
III which TO bring about the desired re-
suit. it was decided that the commission
named should be constituted by a pro-
vision in the public buildings Bill
The House committee therefore Inserted
such q provision. and viii take the bill
on the floor of the House with this in Il.
There is practically no doubt that the
provision viii pass with the bill as il
seems certain that no member OF Con-
gress will object to having a full inves-
tigation to ascertain if the government
has been deprived Of title to lands in the
District by obscure deals
While the commission viii probably
be constituted IN comparatively short
time unless some unlocked for change
takes place In Congress. the subeom-
mittee which has already done much TO
start such an investigation, viii not
cease its labors-
One reason for deciding TO provide for
a commission was that such body can
meet through the summer, while II
might be less convenient for this sub
committee to be in Washington all
thraughi the remainder of the hot
months.
The subcommittee. however. will con-
tinue until II has found all that It can