The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-01-24
(By Winfield Jones)

Washington. ID. c., Jan. 24-Thou2h
grafters have been found in every
government department and huge
sums of money obtained in one way
or the other, the department of the
interior leads the list OF departments
in furnishing rich spoilS for financial
pirates. During the last twenty-five
years it has been estimated that
more than $75, ,000, 900 has been stolen
from the government in the shape OF
lands. Recently this estimate has
been somewhat augmented when it
was found that certain corporations
had laid greedy hands on valuable
mineral lands in the west and in
Alaska In Alaska alone the total
land grabbing has been estimated a.
over OO,OOO,OOO
Land depredations in early days
were confined mainly to the ranch
ers. This form of land grabbing
was termed illegal fencing From
that the frauds extended to real es-
tate dealers who bought soldier
script. homestead entry deeds lieu
script, and other forms of govern
ment deeds conveying public lands
to private owners. In later days cor
porations entered the field until prac-
tically all lands in the west were
owned by syndicates.
Public clamCr made it mandatory
on the part Of the government to
undertake an investigation Detect
ives We're hired, special bureaus were
oreaniled. and the work of reClaimn2
lands illegally obtained from the gov
ernment was commenced. The mares
nest thus unearthed brought within
the reaches Of the law some of the
most prominent men in public and
private life. Numbers of these men
We're sent to the penitentiary and
others We're allowed to retain their
good names and reputation only af-
ter the strongest pressure was
brought to bear
This condition of affairs naturally
reflected upon the various admins
trations. Not secretary of the
interior department down to the Bal
linger regime has passed four years
in office without having been nder
fire. Either as to his action in re
spect 20 the opening of the public
lands to entry or in prosecution
of the crafters who obtained Ian
from the government. Some harsh
criticism was directed to several of
the secretaries and in one case. it
has been openly stated that tn
cabinet officer was TOO closely al
lied with the interests" to dspel the
c,oud OF graft.
Secretary Ballinser. who resigned
his portfolio on March 7th last, had
been under constant fire from the
time he entered President Taft's ca
lent The finger of accusation was
pointed at him by reason of his ac-
ton in respect to the Cunningham |
coal claims in Alaska, in which it /
was stated that Mr.. Ballinger had |
passed the claims after having been !
advised that they We're tainted with !
fraud.
He, however was eXonerated of all !
blame in connection with the admin
isrtaiton of his office by commit
tee of congress.
In the main, however, large corpo-
ratiors of the country have been
the principal oqenders. Real estate
firms, mining firms, and other com
panies engaged in large industries in
the middle west have been accused
at different times of land grabbing.
The most gigantic frauds, however,
were those carried on by a ring Of
real estate dealers in San f rancisco.
Their mode of operation defled detec-
ton by the officers of the govern
ment for years.
Dummy entrymen were procured
and deeds to large tracts OF land OBJ
tanned, Lands worth anywhere from
sl25 on acre to $3.50 an acre were
secured for from 81 to $500 per tract
of 100 acres. Often the ring would
have legislation passed by congress
which would be to their interest, such
as the ceration of forest reserves
where thousands of acres of their
property was located. In lieu of this
land the ring would obtain deeds to
tfieez erW7. dsie e. MIX Sa h h
other and more expensive lands.
These operations were carried on
for years until in the
administration of Secretary Hitch
cocl, sDeciaI detectives were enl-