The Boise citizen. (Boise, Idaho) 1906-1910, 1909-12-31
HITCHCOCK DEMANDS INVESTIGATION


necessity Of appointing special committee to investigate what ne
called notorious land years The following report
of Mr. Htchcocs speech is taken from the Associated Fes
Mr. Hitchcock expressed confidence in the charges recently
made by L. R. Claws the discharged chief of the field DIVISION OF
the land office and declared that his discharge came because OF zeal
lin protecting the government against frauds
IT pity helpless subordinate, said Mr. Hitchcock who
lis forced choose between holding his position silence ana
endangeng by open against frauds ntrenched IN power
backed by influence Hundreds Of them probably to be found IN
the public service today They fear to speak protest Congress
should protect these when charges made should nvest
gate The of Claws has been we'll and simply told by himself
magazine after he discharged he wrote history OF the
the reading Of which carries conviction shows that whether
the land office presided by Banger with bennett as his
assistant bennett commissioner with Balnger outside
attorney for the claimants later STILL with Ba1nger returned
power secretary of the interior manipulated to assist
depredatons valuable coal lands of Alaska
Alaska the house of the United States Mr.. Hitch
cock insisted Already he said large copper deposits have been
seized by the Guggenhem company with the hardly
cevng of poage for the great heritage Claws sked and
lost his reputation declared the speaker because he attempted to
ect the timber and coal lands remaining The controversy
said Mr. Hitchcock had possibly revealed condition of aweness
and favorsm the land office which amazing This revelation
indicates that the real of the public land frauds the land office
ITSELF rather than outside he declared The only way reach the
evil by congressional investigation To appropriate money for
the land office to guarding against fraud folly if the land
office itself is in the hands of the Philsines
Rmors about the misuse of the 81 000
900 appropriated last protect the public lands hear of
thousands of dollars expended of this fund n
e of salaries of favortes that have been doubled hear of
increase clerical help of subordnates who compaent
and who stand ill., receiving pay than their upero speak
OF these only rmors but have substantial facts
direct and specific charges evidence already before the country
The of CLAWS fresh the public mind After years
faithful capacities without hearing sum-
mar discharged Had he been charged he been
helping the land wolves in their raids had he been guilty neglect
Quite the contrary He discharged because he shown too
much zeal protecting the government against frauds the
I1c+orxr
office whose head was controlled by corruption"
Mr. Hitchcock reviewed the history of the Cunningham claim
it has previously been narrated by Claws At Bainger
commissioner Mr. Hitchcock boldly said to recognize
CLAWS in his repeated efforts present cefaon of the claims on
the ground that they fraudulent but the other hand hurried
their approval the protest of CLAWS before the investigation
complete He revoked the order only CLAWS had wired
and written other protests.
Banger retire in sixty days from the land Office con-
tnued Mr. Hitchcock He did retire March, 1909 few
days before retiring however appeared as land commissioner be-
fore the committee public lands urged passage of the Gale
bill the effect of which would be egaz the Cunningham claims to
5000 Shortly after leaving office appeared before his
successor bennett the paid attorney representing
claim direct violation of the law which prevents former official
Of the department appearing attorney within years wear
later Mr. Balnger made secretary of the interior with full ur
cton the land office Again pressure behalf of the Gun
bingham claims The Guggenhem company powerful friends
high places CLAWS again resisted when oveed y the
and office appealed desperation department of Justice The
attorney general sustained CLAWS declared the Cunningham
ams fraudulent and illegal The 5000 acres and 9ooOoOo0
II coal are saved What happens the faithful employee who has
ehed his supero and saved the proper He dismissed from
he public service.
Mr. Hitchcock in concluding took rap at the committee on
ue which now has his resolution to investigate Although 90
er cent OF the house wanted investigate there was no
way to force the committee report except through the speaker
CONFIDENTIAL official information and copies secret paper were
RELY gwen to the fraudulent claimants declared Mr. Hitchcock
he wound his arragnment of the land office e Guggen
em company appears have had full access to everything Can
ne house get the same free access for investigation