The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1909-06-17

Breaks Into Homesteaders'
Homes and Evinces Curios-
ity About Belongings

A swagger youth, who registers
under the name of II. L. Wilcox, re-
Gently visited this section in the ca
pacity of special agent of the Cen
eral Land Office, but we are glad to
say after having known a score or
more special agents personally, that
he is far from being representative
member of Uncle Sans corps of officers
whose duty it is to uncover the delin-
quencies of the homebuilders of the
western country. Ever since the
homestead law was first framed Uncle
Sam has had an unconguerahle fear of
being robbed of some of his choice
new lands; in fact in certain instances in
the northwest his fear was well found
ed for heavily timbered areas some
times were classified as agricultural"
lands and by invoking the Communication
clause OF the homestead act many
people soon found themselves in pos
session Of patent to quarter sections
of timber that would scale from three
to twelve million feet with a correspond
ing commercial value.
Bat this Wilcox youth. whose father
must have been man of influence for
personal merit could never have de-
tated his employment, recently visited
this section to look over our filings and
see If someone was not trying to steal
a sunbaled expanse of volcon,c SPIT.
AS matter of fact young
Wilcox exhibited curiosity quite oat
Of keeping with hi3 exalted official
position, for in several instances he
pried open windows of homes and care
FUZZY invoiced the private belongings
of people who were in town doing their
trading or visiting their neighbors.
Not only did he trespass in this manner,
but he exhibited an arrogancy Of nature
that was wholly unnecessary in mp
holding the dignity of his position and
OF this great nation.
But young Wilcox was doubtless a
wild youth for his actions here would
Indicate that he had misspent many.
years of his precocious young life; while
here he is said to have taken on daily
more than an ordinary cargo of spirits
and the millionaire feeling that comes
from good liquor may have warped his
judgment in certain instances and in a
moment of intense exhilaration he may
have temporarily forgotten that he was
not court, arbiter. and all. In fact,
Wilcox tried hard while here to convey
the impression that he was the whole
Interior Department, including the
Honorable Secretary and his subordi-
nate, the Honorable Commissioner of
the General Land Office.
But you can't fool an old hayseed of
farmer. He may have been temper
arily perturbed at some of Wileox's
rantings, but he is pretty quick type
of man to get an individuals measure
and before Wilcox had left here he
was a joke in everyone's estimation
saye his own. Certainly Wilcox car
red with him adverse reports on many
homestead selections that deserved
commentator rather than censure, but
unless we are greatly mistaken his
measure will be as quickly taken by
those under whom he is working as it
was by the people of this section and
the reports should and will go for
naught.
In one instance that has been brought
to our attention, young Wilcox knocked
at the door of home and without
accesting the lady who answered his
knock, attempted to enter the house.
But the lady of the house in this in
stance had the required amount of
spunk and informed this representative
of paternalism that TO attempt to en-
ter her home without an invitation
would be trespassing and that his
company was not desired. 1t is very
evident from the comparison of notes
that has been made by different home
steaders since Wilcox's departure that
he exceeded his authority in many ways
while here, and that concerted action
would remove him from Office.
Thank Heavens, his kind are few in
number and of short tenure of office,
Otherwise autocratic features would
come INTO our lives here.