The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1909-01-27
AT NATIONS CAPITAL
Governor Magoon Wants Maine
Wreck Removed From
Havana Harbor.
NELSON WOULD CLOSE LANDS
Secretary Garfield Says Special Land
Agents Must Help Honest
Entrymen.

Washington, Jan. 25.-Governor
Magoon, of the provisional govern
ment OF Cuba, in his annual report
to the secretary of war, brings his at
tention to the wreck of the United
states battleship Maine in Havana
harbor and recommends that the
government take immediate steps to
accomplish it's removal without fur
ther delay. He says:
1T VIII be necessary in a short
time to begin dredging in order to
provide proper anchorage for the
large amount of shipping now enter
ing the harbor, unless the wreck is
removed.
Even more important than this
obstruction to navigation is the fact
that this wreck, although it contains
the bodies of 63 American seamen.
or what is left of them, is apparent
ly abandoned and forgotten by the
government and people of the United
States. Thousands of Americans and
and other nationalities annually en-
ter the harbor of Havana and prob
ably not one omits to express regret
and censure for the deplorable spec
tacle.
1T has become a national reproach
and an international scandal. The
neglect to remove the wreck is at
tributed by many, especially the
large Spanish contingent in Cuba, to
the fear that its removal will dis
close the fallacy of the popular be-
lief that the Maine was destroyed by
torpedo or mine instead of an in
terror explosion"
Senator Nelson, of Minnesota, a
chairman Of the public lands COM
mittee, is author of bill, recently
introduced, which is intended to re-
peal the timber and stone act, and
forever put an end to the sale or dis
posal of public timberlands. The bill
is drawn in line with the conserva-
tion policy of the President, and
makes blanket transfer to the For
est Service of all jurisdiction over
the entire timbered public domain,
reserved and unreserved.
The Nelson bill is of such import
ance and proposes such a radical
change in existing law, that 1t stands
no chance of passage this session.
The proceeds from sales of public
timber shall be divided, one-fourth
to go to the state territory, to be ex-
pended under the direction of the
Legislature for roads and schools in
the counties where the timber sold
was located at the time of SALE In
those states affected by National rec
lamation act the remaining rs per
cent of the money shall go into the
reclamation fund, but in other states
1t goes into the general treasury
fund.
Secretary Garfield has received
many complaints from Western Sem
ators and Congressman about the
manner in which land Office special
agents have harassed entrymen who
have been endeavoring honestly to
acquire title to public lands. One of
the most vigorous protestants has
been Senator Borah, of Idaho, who
has cited specific instances in which
special agents have not only failed
to carry out instructions with refer
ence to assisting honest settlers, but
have gone to the extreme of under
taking to dispossess settlers, without
authority Of the Interior Department.
He also cited instances where special
agents, continuing along the lines in
vogue under Secretary Hitchcock,
had done their utmost to discred
honest settlers who were making ev-
cry endeavor to comply with the law.
Secretary Garfield has specifically
stated that special agents are not to
place obstacles in the path of honest
entrymen, but must render them all
proper assistance.
An early decision has been prom
ised in the case now before the su-
preme court involving the question
of whether the more stringent laws
of Oregon regulating the use of
purse-nets on the Columbia dominate
the lessers laws of Washington, COW
ering the same pursuit.
The case is that of a Washington
fisherman, who. while violating no
law of his own state on fishing in
the Columbia with a purse-net was
made to answer in Oregon courts
which hold II an offense.
The bill providing an appropria-
ton Of $4,000 for the establish
ment Of two fish hatcheries on Puget
Sound, was brought before the SEN
ate by Senator Piles and passed. The
bill has already passed the house.
The secretary OF the interior has
urged congress to pass a bill in the
interest of reservation Indians who
have taken allotments which have
turned out worthless. He urges the
passage of bill permitting Indians
to relinQuish unsuitable lands and
select In lieu lands OF equal area
from the unappropriated portion OF
the reservation. He insists that the
Indians are entitled to the best lands
OF the reservation. prior to the OPEN
ing.