Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-06-28
Furnishing an Insureent.
ICollier's WeeklN.l

Progressives began to feel the power
of federal revenge early in the present
administration, as confessed in the now
famous Norton letter. An interesting
attempt to Cypress is the case of Will
liam Kent. long known as an ideal type
of American citizen, devoted to the
public welfare, able, aggressive, with
nothing to gain for himself. Possibly
what started the president after his
scalp was kents active opposition to
Secretary Ballinger in the Tahoe forest
reservation grab. The hostility first
showed itself in 1910, when Kent took
the field against Congressman Duncan
McKinlay. of California. then seeking
a denomination. Kent received a note
from Secretary Norton, beginning
Dear Bill" and bidding him return
to Washington and resume your old
affectionate relations with the presi-
dent" The sting was in the tail of the
letter. which stated that Congressman
Mckinlay was TOO valuable man to
the administration to be dropped" Kent
replied simply that he intended to beat
McKinlay if it were practicable. Then
the administration got to work. Kent
is president of the Golconda Cattle
Company, which owns upward of $4,000
acres of land in Nevada. An inspector
from the interior department the prev
ious year had said that this company
had fenced in certain government lands.
The fences referred to in the report
had been put up more than twenty
years ago, when nobody knew where
government land began and private
property left off. In such cases OF I'M
certainty it is the universal custom in
the case Of infringement claimed by
the government, to notify the owner. In
this case the first Kent heard was that
he was to be criminally indicted. and
he heard this indirectly. Kent wired
to the president who did not reply. In
stead, his department officials proceed
ed to give out charges to newspapers
hostile to kent's candidacy. Kent
telegraphed Wickersham as follows:
Unnecessary for government to begin
any suit to compel destruction of
fences of Golconda Cattle Company. If
upon government land or in contraven-
ton of government policy, or letter or
spirit of the law, company ready to re-
move any such fences. Consider it an
outrage that no request has been made
for removal Of fence alleged to be on
it's land, as customary in other cases
before commencing suit. Resent absurd
delay Of over six months and until
midst Of my campaign for congress. for
alleged reason Of further investigation
of facts" when half a days ride with
company's foreman would have settled
all civil questions in dispute. Demand
full copy of Jewell report, OF which
press has given frequent partial ver-
sions.
WILLIAM KENT.
| Five days later Secretary Norton re-
Piled in letter beginning Dear Sir
admitting that no formal notice hac
ben given but adding a remarkable ex-
PLANTATION:
the department Iof the interior
believes. from oral statements made by
the United States attorney, that thu
company has for some time been cog
infant that proceedings by the govern
ment were in contemplation.
| The assumption was baseless, ana NJ
explanation was offered by Norton fol
giving out the story. It happens tina
there existed at that time a telegram
from McKinlay to Commissioner Den
nett, Of the general land office. Famous
in the Ballinger exposures, asking hin
to make it easy for the press to get IN
formation about the case against Kent
The telegram was franked and con
cluded as follows: This is very I'm
portant. Wire reply" Wickersham al
flowed q respite Of thirty days. AM
Kent made q survey which showed ina
about sixty acres Of public iand nat
actually been inclosed In the twenty
vear-old fence line He removed thes
fences. paid the government rental 10
the use OF the lands, and then pro
lceeded to swamp Congressman NC
Kinlay in the primaries. The Southern
Pacific machine. which had heipe
McKinlay in the primaries. threw 1t
influence to the democrats. &C 2 =
and the government at Washington.
spite Of full settlement. had crimins
indictment brought against the com