The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1909-09-30
Especial CorrespondenceN


WASHINGTON, September 15.-"As
between a lottery and a horse-race 1
decidedly prefer the lottery, when it
comes to a public land opening said
Judge James w. Witten, Chief Law
Clerk of the General Land Office, who
recently returned from Occur dAlene
Idaho, where he conducted the open
ing of the surplus lands of the Spo-
kane, Occur d'Alene and Flathead In
dian reservations. This was his re-
ply to the statement that the govern
ment had been severely criticized be-
cause it had resorted to lottery me-
thods in disposing of these and other
Indian lands.
Il have superintendent the opening
OF Indian reservations under both sys-
TENS, continued Judge Witten, and
l know whereof | speak The old
rush system that made Oklahoma
notorious started in with a hOrse-race
and for three or four years after every
such opening the General Land Office
j
numerous horse-races that took place
on the opening day. Under the new
system there is no racing. there is no
question as to the rights OF every man
who draws the right to make an entry,
and there are no contests to keep the
Land Office busy for years afterwards
This new drawing method as as near
ideal as we can make it,
You will recall that i'm the old
days in Oklahoma, when an Indian re-
servation was to be thrown open, a
day was set when the lands should
become subject to entry. On that
day all applicants lined up along the
border, most of them on horse back,
ready to rush upon the land and mi
tiate their rights At the appointed
hour a gun was fired, and the race be-
gan. 1t is safe to say that at the
close Of the day there were at least
two entrymen on every subdivision
of land, each claiming priority Of
right, and each assailing the claim OF
the other. Frequently there was
bloodshed, and many lives were sacrl-
feed
Title in those days went to the
correct, to the man who could pro-
duce the best proof showing priority.
Naturally, there was much perjury,
and much injustice was done in the
adjustment of these contests. Near
ly every entry was made the subject
of contest, but while the contest was
pending, all parties to the contest, It
murder did not intervene, established
themselves; built houses cultivated
some of the land, and each proceeded
on the assumption that in the end he
would get title When the contests
were decided, the unfortunates were
dispossessed and usually lost all they
had expended on the contested entry
ut is safe to say chat millions CT
dollars were spent by contending set
tiers in the old Oklahoma contests
and much of it was squandered. The
best man very often lost out. The
man of no principle, if allied with 9th
ers of his type, would be better able
TO procure affidaYits establishing his
priority than the man who relied up
on the truth. But the Department
had no way of telling who was first
except from the evidence submitted
and thus it helplessly became a party
to the injustice so often done.
Under our present system however
there are no contests growing out OF
the openings. The names of success
full applicants are made public and
the order in which they may file theiI
entries is also known. There is nc
ground for contest The settlers
therefore, are spared the expense OF
long litigation; there is no financial