Semi-weekly herald., 1909-01-07
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT
AND LAND INVESTIGATIONS


President Roosevelt took another op-
portunity In a message to congress
Monday to class the majority Of those
who have taken up coal. timber and
agricultural lands as thieves and law
breakers. and to make II stiil harder
for the honest man to secure title 10
his land. Ii is too bad President
Roosevelt has been led into narrow
view OF the situation by the hungry
horde of special agents and secret
service men who are holding fat posi-.
tions with the government and who
are trying to make IT appear that Un.
Gle Sam is being robbed of the pub
lie domain In order that they may
continue TO draw lucrative salaries
The Herald will add, In this connec
secret service men and honest special
land agents, but If we are to Judge Of
the general work In this southwest
section, please deliver us from their
iuic. We nave III Id IIdtd county II
large number of honest citizens who
are suffering through the policy of
the department which is issuing rui-
ings contrary to law and making unto
Itself n law. There are many dis
couraged farmers who have taken up
land classed as agricultural and spent
five or more years living from hand
to mouth improving and getting ready
to prove up SO they might borrow a
few dollars TO relieve their distress,
who find themselves completely tied
up and at the mercy OF the govern
ment land department. We know of
a great many cases where homestead.
ers are In distress and unable to turn
a wheel They have complied with ev-
cry law. ard so far as surface indica-
tions go, not coal cropping within
miles, still they are held up as land
thieves and law breakers.
The Herald is not defending coal,
timber or land thieves, but so far 1t
has been shown that the laws have
been followed in La Plata county, at
least with one or two exceptions, and
when 1t comes to perjury, etc. we will
gamble that there is more honor In
the men who have located and proved
up on land In La Plata county than
there is In the horde of officials who
have bounded them.
We lpntr of aaoos u,.,a~o ttt1o. 49,.
been withheld where special agents
have reported favorably--and there
are special agents who desiIs to be
Just to their fellowman-just because
some government man has said the en-.
tire country is underlaid with coal,
although no surface signs are visible
for miles and miles.
But the secret service men and nu.
merous special attorneys have the ear
of the administration and the honest
homesteaders are classed in with the
occasional rascal.
II does seem. however, that the facts
should soon be forthcoming, and to
this end Senator Guggenheim can con
fer no greater benefit upon the honest
and well meaning farmers of La Plata
county than pushing thorough In
vestigation. If this land stealing is as
great as claimed by the secret service
men 1t is the duty of congress to ap-
point congressional committee to at
once visit the sections and ascertain
the real facts SO they can introduce
the right kind of measures for the
protection of the government and the
people. Surely the farmer who can
only afford one suspender with a nail
as button, is entitled to some con
sideration. Senator Guggenheim, make
name for yourself and have condi.
tlons In La Plata county investigated