The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-03-19
DEPT. OF INTERIOR
GRAFTfRS' HEAVEN
Heads List in Furnishing
Spells for the "Apaches
of Finance"
~ SIDNEY EsPEY.

0Y SIDNEY ESPEY.
Washington. March 1S.--Notwith-
standing the fact that grafters have
been found in every government de-
partment, and huge sums of money
have been stolen In one way or anoth-
err. the department OF the interior
leads the list OF departments in fur
nIshing rich spells for these ''apaches
Of nnancc."
During the last twenty-five years 1t
has been estimated that more than
SIS, 200. 900 has been stolen from the
government in lands. Recently this
estimate has been greatly augmented
when IL Is found that certain corpora
lions have laid greedy hands on valua-
BILE mineral lands in the west and in
Alaska. In Alaska alone the total
land grabbing has been estimated at
over $2OO.OOO.OO0.
Land depredations in the early days
were confined mainly TO the ranchers.
This form OF land grabbing was term
ed illegal fencing" From that the
frauds extended to real estate dealers
who bought soldiers script, homestead
entry deeds lien script, and other
forms OF government deeds conveying
public lands to private owners. In
later days corporations. entered the
Aeld, until much land in the west was
owned by syndicatcs.
Public clamor made Il mandatory
on the part OF tho government to UNI
dcrtake Investigations. Detectives
were hired. special bureaus were org
anized, and the work of reclaiming
lands illegally obtained from the gov
ernment was commenced. The mares
nest thus unearthed brough within the
reach OF tho law some of the most
prominent men In public and private
life. Numbers OF these men were sent
to the penitentiary and others were
allowed to retain their good names
and regulations only after the strong
est political pressure was brought to
bear.
This condition Of affairs naturally
reflected upon the various administers.
lions. Not one Of the secretaries of
the interior department. with but few
exceptions down to the present time
UVCut tOOU ySdt III OulSS Wlthout nav
ing been under FIRE. Either as to his
action In respect to the opening of the
public lands to entry, or In failing to
actively prosecute the thieves and
graftcrs who illegally obtained lands
from the government. Some harsh
criticism was directed against several
Of the secretaries and in one case. 1t
has been openly stated that the cabin
ct oflicer was too closely allied with
the interests" to dispel the cloud OF
graft.
Secretary Ballinger. who resigned
his portfolio on March Z. had been
under constant fire from many points
since he entered President Taft's cab
inet--in fact ever since his appoint
ment by ex.President Roosevelt as
commissioner Of the general land Of.
fee. Tho finger of accusation was
pointed at him by reason of his ac-
ton In respect to the Cunningham
coal claims In Alaska which II was
claimed In congress Mr.. Ballinger had
passed, after having been advised that
they were tainted with fraud These
lands are reputed to be worth millions
OF dollars. Since that time the secre-
tary had been under fire in respect
TO the conservation OF the public for.
ests. having been accused OF wasteful
administration. too much leniency to
land grabbers. and numbers of other
things respecting the public domain.
He however. was exonerated Of all
blame In connection with the ad-
Ministration Of his Office by commit
tee OF congress which investigated the
case.
In the main large corporations of
tho country have been the principal
offenders against the public domain.
Real estate firms, mining Arms, and
other companies engaged in large in
dustries in the west have been ac.
cused at different times of land grab.
hing. Tho most gigantic frauds how.
ever. were those carried on by ring
Of real estate dealers in San Francisco.
Their mode OF operation defied detec.
ton by officers OF the government for
years.
Dummy entrymen were obtained
and deeds to large tracts of land Sc
cured. Lands worth from $125 an acre
to $3.50 an acre were secured for from
S. to $500 per tract of $50 acres. The
lands were sold to numbers of indi-
viduals who settled upon the land and
complied with the terms of the gov.
crnmcnt. Often again. the ring would
have legislation passed by congress
which would be TO their interest. such
rs the creation OF forest reserves
where thousands of acres of their pro-
perry was located. In lieu Of this land
the ring would obtain deeds from the
government to other and generally
more expensive lands. These opera.
lions were carried on successfully for
years until In the administration OF
Secretary Hitchcock. special dctecti.
ives were employed to run down the
graftcrs and thieves. A number OF
them were routed out of the general
land once In this city and In some Of
the western states.
Through these men information was
gathered concerning the ring and mum.
bcrs Of other offenders.
OF the San Francisco firm the de.