New Mexico state record., 1918-09-13
SENATOR FALL MAKES
FIGHT FOR SOLDIER BOYS

| Foftfaying senator rails vigorous:
support of his amendment to the
draft law-allowing drafted men IN
years and over to make mineral Or
any public land entries as if more;
than Il years Of age. also suspendine
residence requirements in the mat :.
ter of homesteads until their MUS =
ter out of service--and his Valiant
defense of the young soldiers and
cattiemen of New Mexico from inn,
putations Of fraudulent intent or &C
tion which arose in the course oC
Senator A. A. Jones' opposition Of
the amendment, an opposition insti-
gated by the Department of the In~
terror, reached here today in full dc%
tail in the Congressional Record.
Senator Fall was masterful in his.
denunciation of the presumption that
the young soldiers entries would be
made for fraudulent purposes. He
decried any suggestion of fraud bes
ing connected with, the cattlemen
OF this state. High lights OF the bat4
tie appear thus in the Record
II am one of those. Mr.. President.
who has been most insistent in open.
ing the public lands. upon making el.
sy the path by which homesteais
could be obtained upon the remain
ing public lands, having, as have at
various times explained, in view not
only of the right of the homestead
entryman but also the right of the
state. to- have the land within its bee-.
ders subjected to taxation.
II cannot indulge in the presump.
tion. sir, that entries will be made
tor fraudulent purposes. | could not
indulge in any such presumption, nor
would ever make suggestion tend
ing to lead one to believe that I in
dulge in any such presumption How
ever, the department has requested
the passage of this joint resolution
the second clause of which provides
very heavy fine and penalty for'
any cattleman-my colleague refer
red TO cattlcmen yestcrday-who may
solicit the making of any entry or
REIMBURSEMENT by any such entry
man, who for a consideration might
perjure himself, because he must
take an oath when he makes this ap-
plication that it is for his own bene-
fit, and to assume that the boys in
the trenches would take such an
oath for few dollars at the solici-
tation of any cattleman or speculator
would be for me to assume that they
are perjurers. either when they en-
ter the Army or because the Con-
gress of the United States has offer
ed them an opportunity to benefie
by perjury.
"I have heard in New Mexico. I
may say. for many years, as well a.
here in this body and throughout
the country generally. anirnadver.
sions from time to time upon the
cattle barons and others as seeking
70 defraud the government and to.
-etain in their own possession the
public domain for their own use. thas
hey sought to prevent homesteadS
being made upor their ranges.
have never heard them condemned
ipon the theory that they would So
icit the entry OF nomesteads upon
heir ranges.
Mr.. President. in so far as | am
ware. there have been no frauds
committed by cattlemen in seeking
o acquire public domain in FAY state.
n So far as l am aware. ard havs
he personal acquaintance OF almost
very cattleman in my state. includ-
ny my colleague. can say here. sir.
hat ! believe tie cattlemen there
would be just as honest.
Straightforward and as clean a.
would be my colleague or myself.
nd we are both engaged in the cat-
lie business in New Mexico I will
ay. sir. that I do not believe any
owman would find it to his inter
st to solicit OF any soldier an entry
pon that cowman's range. because
he soldier might at any time tala
ossession through a member of his
amily under the law as it exists now
r under our court decisions through
omeone else representing him and
eprive the cowman OF the use Of
he land"