Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-03-04
LAND CONTROL IS
HELD TO BE FAIR
IRINRS' HOLDINGS IN PHILIP
lines HONESTLY ADMINISTERED
that IS MAJORITY REPORT
Representative Martin prccipiUtcd
myc-ugntlon-Ncport Is
Very Lengthy one,

by Associated 'r's
Washington, d. G.. March 3d.
The administration of lands in the
Philippine Islands has been fairly and
honestly conducted, the charges and
20 the contrary directed
against officers either of tho phil
ippiue government or of the govern
meut OF the United States, are UNI
warranted ana mJust-thls Is tho
conclusion OF the majority Of the
House Committee ON lnsulur Affairs.
IN It's report OF an exhaustive In
yestigation OF those matters. made
public today by the chairman OF the
committee. Representative Olm5ted,
OF Pennsylvania The report express
ly exoucrates W. Cameron Forbes,
goycrpOr-geueral Charles H. Sleep
er, director of lands. Frank w, Car
pcntcr, executive secretary and Dean
e. Worcester. secretary of the inter-
Tor Of the Philippine GoyeGnment,
ecrctary OF the interior Of the Phil
ipplne Government, of any improprl-
cites In the management OF the Phil
ilpine lands, and describes them as
"able. earnest, patriotic men, honest
B performing their duties under
moro or less trying circumstances"
The report reviews at length the al
legged violations OF laws governing the
sales of land and the issuance Of
leases, and lays It's principal stress
upon the intricate legal problem in
Nolyed in the question of the status OF
tho so-called "frar lands" which
were purchased by the Philippine
Government from the religious orders
with funds raised by n bond issue
Radical differences Of opinion have
existed as TO whether these friar lands
were governed In the matter Of sales
and leases by the restrictions clearly
imposed by the organic law" of th'
stands upon transactions concerning
the public or crown lands purchaseC
by the United States government fron
he Government of Sph.h.
Representative Martin, OF Colorado
preclpitated the Investigation now
reported upon, by various charges
made on the floor Of the House II
the latter part Of tho session OF 1909.
10, in which no alleged improper
sales and leases of the friar lands
especially to persons who, he charged
desired the land for the benefit OF
tle so-called sugar trust And so
while the report undertakes to refut'
q number OF charges connected with
tne sale and lease Of lands in the is.
ands. Il IS devoted largely to dis
cusslon Of a transaction by which one
H. l., Poole bought $1,000 Of the
I4O0. 900 acres Of the friar lands,
Representative Martin contended
tlat under the Organic law of 1902
which gave a civil government to tn,
Philippine Islands, and which defi
nitely limited the amount Of public
and that might be sold to indiyiduali
md to corporations, Poole could law
fully obtain only 40 acres as an indi
INidual, and only 100 acres as rep
rcsentatlye OF a G. poratlon. with
this contention the majority Of tn,
committee explicitly disagreesi It con
cudes that the "frlar' lands were no
subject as q matter Of law, and ough
not to be subject as matter OF
practical eXpedcncY 10 tho restrlc
tons upon public" lands In sup
port Of this position as 10 the lega
status Of the friar lands the repor
cites opinions Of George II, Harvey
EJhcitor general, approved by Igna0i'
INillanor attorney general; Louis G
knight, attorney for the bureau o
public lands, OF tho islands, and o
| Attorney General Wickersham, ant
Includes also a oontrovertIng opinion
/ By Moorfeld Storey Of Boston. Th
point here made Is that tho Phil
iJplue officials in their course wer,
/ .bundantly sustained, and were boun,
o be guided by the opinions of tn,
| aw officers Of their government Thl
Transaction OF Poole, to which tn,
arger part OF the discussion is ad
dressed, was the purchase Of the
San jose estata."
mo corporation can lawfully hol,
more than 1,O24 hectares C2,5Ot
Hcres) OF any kind Of land IN tn
Philippine Islands and no corpora
ton has been permitted to purchas
moro than that amount Of either pub
lie lands or frlar lands since IN,
passage OF the act Of 1903. sectlol
|15 OF this act limits the sale o
public lands 20 16 hectares or a
& rcs--tho amount Of public lands Il
tho Philippine Islands which law.
|fIlly may be sold 10 any purchase
cher than corp-,auon No sale n
excess of that amount has been made
There are about 3O.OOO,0OO acre
|Cf public land IN tho Philippines. tn
alo Of which Is restricted by law {,
fJrty acres 10 the natural person. o.
500 acres TO a corporation, each sal
IL bo conditioned upon actual occu
|Iancy and cultivation OF tho land
or at least ny9 years, during whlol
/ tho purchaser may neither sell no
c1cumbor them. There are only abou
I128,000 acres OF unoccuped and va
cant friar lands remaining Thesl
cinnot bo sold In such small tract
and subject 10 such burdensomo con
dltiouq M nrloea which Vil1 auubl