The Mena weekly star., 1910-02-10
MAKING FIGHT ON
 FOREST SERVICE
ecretary Wilson Is Said to Have Prom ised to Investigate Alleged Irreg- ularities in the Arkansas
 National Forest.

meeting of homesteaders has been called for next Saturday a Mount Ida to discuss reported irregular ities iu the endorsements of the Forest Service regulations by local officials of the Arkansas Forest Reserve. It IS stated by parties leading the fight that Sec retary of Agriculture Wilson of the federal government, has prom ised to investigate the charges made by persons in that county against officers in the Arkansas Forest Reserve, in which 1t is coutended that "buna fide home steaders have been intimldat ted and ousted."
 The Montgomery Tunes, pub lished at Mount Ida, has been the most persistent instrums Tt in se- curing a promise by the depart ment of agriculture for an inquiry into alleged Irregularities in the reservation, with regard to the rights of homesteaders, and 1t was the editors of the Times who re- ceived an explicit announcement from Secretary Wilson that an i5 quiry would be made, according to statements made in the current issue of that paper.
 Speaking of the inquiry and the alleged conditions existing in the Arkansas Reserve, the Times says: Tt is our belief that if the hom esteaders are given fair and impartial hearing, many of those who have been blocked will be permitted to file, and those who have lost their homesteads will be permitted to re-enter their lands unmolested. Our ultimate aim is to have the offenders pun ished by suspension. We shall be magnanimous and refrain from demanding trial on criminal charges, even if the cases warrant it. Ii the reserve is to be contin- ued, we are Tn duty bound to de- mand that 1t must be administer ed according to law. We want all incompetents and those who have been dealing unjustly with the homesteader to be expelled from the service. Let the axe fall on the proper persons, super visors and rangers alike"
 w. w. Hays, acting secretary of the department of agriculture, has notified Messrs. Wilmington and Sherman, editors of the Times, that the district forester of Albuquerque, N. M., has been notified to make a full invesliga- tion into the charges against the reserve officers and speaking fur iher of this notice, the Times in- inmates that 1t will see that the fight IS carried before Congress, if the iuvestig ation is not satis- factorily made, saying:
 The Times stands ready to pro- uounce evidence and witnesses at a moments notice; but we shall reserve the right to withhold any or all evidence, if the investiga- tion Is sent on down the line and placed in the hands of the district forester at Albuquerque, and then passed on to Record and his sub. climates. These are the very men whom we accuse, and we do not propose to help any man or set of men to investigate them selves. This would be manifestly unjust" And then follows the threat to carry the matter before the congressional investigating committee, if the local investiga- tion is mot conducted in harmo- ny with the will of the people, " the affidavits and testimony be- ing withheld tor that purpose.
 Supervisor Record is delivering q course of lectures at Tale at this time but in speaking of the trouble in Montgomery county before leaving for the east Mir. Record is reported as saying that the editor of the Montgomery
 ouuty Times had been interfered with, regarding claim to which he had no right and for this req son was making fight against the Forest service.
 A. J. Wright, who was pastor of the Christian church in Meua prior to entering the forest serv- ice, IS saId to be the ranger who has been iutimidatiug homestead CTS. Mir. Wright has many friends in Mena who would be mighty slow to believe that he