Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-04
TIC HIN1Sl0n from fa!Ilng aWaN benin
he others. as has frequently occurred i
he past, thereby interfering seriousl
nth the orderly work of the office
Long Continued Complaint.

MIR. Garfield left the office of commission
or of corporations in the Department Of
| Commerce and Labor to enter the cabinet
as Secretary of the Interior there had
| been constant complaints of the manner
| in which the business Of the general land
office was being conducted Mr. Garfield
turned his attention To this branch of his
| departm at once. During the service
| of Commissioner r. A Balinger. who re-
signed March last. much progress was
made toward perfecting scheme for i'm
provement and this work was finally
completed through the efforts of Mr.. Den
nett.
Both Secretary Garfield and Commits
sioner bennett believe that tn" new sys-
| tenn Will be a great Improvement and
| thai the enormous land business of Uncle
Sam will run along much more smoothly
| from now on than ever before that Is.
since it grew to anything like its present
| proportions.
It is not generally known that the work
| of the general land office is different from
! almost every other in the executive
| branch of the government in that il is
really judicial in character. Commits
sioner bennett is authority for the state
! emnt that at least tWo-thirds of the
| work done in his office is of this charac-
! ter The chief law clerk frequently
/ passes upon cases involving lands worth
{
| eral division has not long since passed
upon briefs for the preparation of which
| lawyers have been paid as much money
in one fee as the chief gets in a year 1t
is stated on the highest authority that
the amount of values passed upon every
year by the general land office exceeds
the amount passed upon in one year by
the District Supreme Court.
Congress Slow to Act
Notwithstanding these facts. Congress
has ben loath heretofore to recognize the
semi judicial character of the land office
Although nothing was done by Congress
at the recent session to put the office
on the proper basis. still full hearings
were given to the commissioner By the
appropriate committees of both
branches and the foundation was laid
for future action. 1t was explained last
winter that il was largely on account of
the peculiar legislative conditions. brought
about by the democratic tilibuster in the
House and the ante-election effort TO do
only necessary things. coupled with the
CUSTOMARY desire OF Congress tn go slow
IL. that the efforts of the commissioner
did not bear fruit at once.
What Commissioner Ballinger contend
ed for and what Commissioner bennett is
still contending for. is change III the
nomenclature of the office. which will
mean recognition by Congress Of the
character OF the work done there In
cidentally increases in salaries for the
employees are sought.
1t is a curious fact that although 1870
of the 40 employees OF the office are
graduate lawyers and about seventy
oil hers preparing to graduate in law. and
about ln others ar" good land lawyers
merely on account Of their experience in
he office Congress recognizes by title
and salary only about twenty of these
men al lawyers. 1t was sought last win
ter to have about $40 employees designa ed
as land examiners or reviewers, instead
of simply as clerks.