The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1914-07-23
THE EAST AND SOUTH
COMBINE AGAINST WEST

SMITH EXPLAINS WHY WESTERN
BUSINESS IS HELD UP IN
DEPARTMENTS.
! Addison T. Smith writes to Gov
ernor Haines to explain why 1t is well
nigh Impossible to push the interests
of the west in washington under the
conditions that prevail there now. he
says in a letter dated June 80, in re-
ply to a communication from the gov
ernor:
"My Dear Governor: Your letter of
the 23d, in which you strongly protest
against the delay in the issuance OF
patents to entrymen upon the public
domain was duly received, and as suS-
gested therein l have taken the mat
ter up with the members of our dele
cation.
1--WE have long recognized that there
appears to be a great deal of unneces-
sary delay in the consideration OF APP
plications for entry, and in the ad-
Indication Of proofs in land cases, in
the local offices as we'll as in the gem
eral land Office. The matter has fire.
quently been brought to the attention
of the secretary of the interior and
the commissioner of the general land
office, with the hope of securing re-
lief. 1t is contended by both of these
officials that the lack of sufficient
clerical help is the real cause of the
delay. and that their earnest recon-
: mendations for an increase to the COM
mittee on appropriations in both
branches Of congress have been ig-
nored.
Try to Get More Help.
"a determined effort was made last
spring, when the deficiency approprla
; ton bill was under consideration, and
again when the general appropriation
bills were being considered, to appro-
pirate $4,000 to be made Immediately
available for the employment of as
sstant attorneys in the land division
Of the interior department, and $780,
900 additional for clerical assistance
in local land offices in order that the
work might be brought up to date but
the chairman of the committee, Mr.
Fitzgerald of New York, was able to
prevent a favorable report on these
recommendations in the committee
He was also able to have voted down
amendments, with view Of securing
the amount necessary when offered
on the floor of the house by western
members.
Record for Economy.
"My observation has been that the
officers and clerks in the general land
/ office here, and in the local land Of
, fees, work industriously to bring up
! the arrears Of work, but have been
unable to do so with the present force
con the first of July the force in the
pension office, which is part of the in
. terror department, will be reduced by
, 145 clerks. and but for the effort that
the present administration is making
for economy at the expense Of the set
tiers, these clerks could be transferred
to the general land office, and the To-
cal land offices, and the accumulated
work disposed of and patent given to
those who have made their final proof,
7 without 50 much unnecessary delay
East and South BaIk.
| at is difficult to convince the
chairman and members of the COM
mttee on appropriations. all Of whom
with one exception. are from the east
: ern, southern and central states, that
the settlers upon the public domain
are entitled to any consideration. One
f of the most exasperating conditions
which confront us here is the indf
ference of the eastern and southern
, members to the enactment of legisla-
ton which is designed to make easier
the acquisition of title to the public
lands and to relieve the settlers OF a
, great deal of unnecessary hardship
Only when compelled to do so under
the rules will they consider the en-
actment of beneficial laws which
would encourage settlers and enable
them to get on a firm footing with
much less hardship and expense than
is now imposed upon them.
Hope for the Future.
II sincerely hope that when the
next congress is organized that we will
be able to select as chairman of the
committee on appropriations man
who knows something about the west
in addition to what he may have
learned by riding through the country
in Pullman car. The committee as
ut present organized has but one men,
Der west or the Missouri river. Frank
w. Mondell of Wyoming, true friend
of the west and a most able and cap
able man. This committee appears to
have organized with view of taking
care of every other section of the