Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1910-01-14
HELP FOR SETTLERS
Hundreds Sign Petitions Asking Re
lief for SiIetz People.

State officers and hundreds of citi-
zens in the Willamette Valley have
signed a petition to Congress to pass
the bill granting relief to forty-odd of
the original homesteaders in the ST.
letz country. Reports sent in from
Lane and Polk Counties are to the eff
feet that the spirit there is almost
unanimous in favor of the settlers as
against the squatters. Those engaged
in circulating the petitions state that
Governor Benson and all of the state
officials signed gladly, with the hope
of impressing Congress that an injus-
tice is being done a number of worthy
men and women. These petitions are
to be forwarded as quickly as possible
and will be another unit in the mass
of evidence sent on to Washington to
prove that the people of this state be-
lieve redress should be granted inn
mediately.
Except among the special agents
who are earning a good slice of the
$1,000,000 appropriation made for
their support, it seems to be conceded
that the homesteaders now before
Congress have been guilty of no fraud
or illegal purpose. First Assistant
Secretary Frank Pierce's admission, as
published in the press, that his action
was based upon the proof filed by the
settlers themselves, is taken to be
the cue of the Interior Department.
The fact that these homesteaders who
are being thrown out, lived on their
claims longer than the squatters who
have been dispossessing them, is the
basis of the petition for Congressional
relief
Hundreds of affidavits have been
sent on to Washington, also the court
records in the contest cases. Every
proof that could be asked by any tri-
bunal has been rendered for guidance
of the Congressional committee. In
this the homesteaders swear openly
and clearly what they have done. If a
misstatement were made by any of
them, they would be open to the
charge of perjury. They swear to the
number of days spent on the claims,
lHG lletuC, tHG CulbiNd-
ton carried out, and their intentions
in respect to the property Nearly all
of them place before Congress the ir-
REPUTABLE fact that during all Of the
early years of settlement on the Siletz,
earning a mans living there was i'm
possible, and any poor man getting the
benefit of the entries would have to
spend a portion of his time elsewhere
getting food with which to support
and family
Several of them submit affidavits
showing that their wives were forced
stayed on the claims, and that every
device possible to live during the home-
stead period and yet comply with the
law, was tried. The affidavits also show
that, following submission of final
proofs, these men had to hasten out
that during the long years of wait
ing since final proof was submitted
between the duty of supporting them
selves expenses of fighting the squat
ters and special agents, the home
have faced a grueling exist
ence.
Since the Oregon delegation took
the matter up, the homesteaders' have
taken on a new lease of hope. They
have the utmost faith in results from
inquiry. Since Secretary
has suspended action tenn
porarily and will go into the question,
there is also a high hope that he will
either grant the relief prayed, or in
dicate how it will have to be done.
None of the more than 40 men covered
by the Hawley bill fear investigation,
in fact they court the fullest possible
publicity of the facts, and will aid the
committee or Secretary of the Inter
ior to secure data that is not now in
hand. They also want the course of
some of the special agents inquired
into while passing the homesteaders
the crucible. No doubt is en-
tertained as to the final issue, when
ever any judicial or legislative body
can be persuaded to take up the cases
without the pre-concelved purpose of
destroying the homesteaders.