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VOL. TIL
PBINBTOEf CROOK; CQWTYj OREGON, DECEMBER 25, 1902.
i.-i:
NO. 2
Cr
C
LAND LAWS TO STAND
No Changes Willie made
tlnsConffresH.1
Repeal Lieu Land , Law.
Game Warden Qulmby Rcootc
tnonda Many OhanKoe in
Game Laws.
It was practically decided nt a
meeting of the limine land com
mittee yesterday not to attempt
any legislation in tlio direction of
reforming tho lund lawn, as rocom
rounded by President Roosevelt in
his annual message, says a Wash
ington dispatch of Dec. 12. Tlie
Quarles-Powors liill repealing tho
timber, desert and homestead com
munication laws was taken up in
formally. The committee was
practically unauituous in rejecting
all throe sections of the hill, the
only constructive legislation sug
gested being a proposition to in
crease the price of commuted home
steads from f 1.25 to 12.60 an acre,
and to increase the price of timber
lands in states west of the Rocky
mountains froral2.50 to 15 or even
110 an acre.
The timber law was favored as
it stands, especially by the mem
bers from Colorado and Wyoming,
on tho ground that the law is being
honestly carried out and was bene
fiting the arid states. The com
mittee also took the ground that
commutation 1 of a homestead
. should be allowed to provide for
cases in which U wait a hardship
on tho settler to rcsido five years
upon his claim before securing
title. ,In"'faV,'the recommenda
tions of the president found not a
einglo supporter in thk committee.
Chairman Laccy slated this
afternoon that he wag in favor of
deposing of .the matter at once
and if that oourso is taken it means
that no bill wili bo returned by
tho committee to tho house this
notwithstanding that Mr. Lacey
himself a day or two ago intro
duced separate bills repealing the
desert and commutation laws. He
seems to regard this action as a
temporary aberration on his part.
Mr. Lacey maintains that it
' would bo a practical repeal of the
irrigation law to repeal tho present
land laws, ns proposed, on the
ground that notwithstanding the
provisions of that law, no settlor
on land irrigated by: the govern
ment will ever pay back into the
treasury any of the co-it of putting
water on his land, tlm.i indicating
tho probable passage at some future
of another free homes bill to apply
to the government irrigated area.
His solicitude for the reclamation
fund is not entirely in accord with
his opposition last winter to the
enactment of the law creating the
same. -- -
The senate land committee has
practically agreed not to take up
the Quarlcs bill until the latter
part of January.' Thoro is now
considerable doubt as. to the atti
tude of this committee toward any
changes in tho land laws The
majority one way or the other
would be narrow and the report
would probably be divided. There
' are no active interests behind these
measures except tho recommenda
tions of tire department and of the
president. The hill carries no
appropriation for expenditure, in
the states affected, and in fact
would have rather the effect of
limiting operations." The suggest
ions are looked upon as purely
matters of public policy, and local
interests are apparently opposed
to legislation which embodies the
idea of the greatest good to the
greatest number, Like tho tariff,
the laud question is a local issue.
Prospects at this time for any
land legislation at Huh session of
congress fire slight, ' There is an
equal probability "that the interior
department will mako little or no
headway in securing a law for the
protection of timber on the public
domain at this session. Injdis-
cussing the status of the land laws,
nearly every member of tbe.housc
comipittee stated that ho believed
the laws as they stood to lie theo
retically correct, and that if they
are projierly administered no loss
should fall upon the government,
ami that lawful settlement of the
country would proceed to the ad
vantage of all. s
: Coupled with these .statements,
however, and' considcrablo: criti-
cimn of the administration of the
land office, to- the effect that the
administration was lax in investi
gating the legality of filings and
final proofs, and in accepting al
leged improvements which did not
really comply with the spirit as
well as the letter of tho law,
Commissioner Herman, of the
gcneratland office, has conferred
with the chairman of the public
lands committees of both house
and senate relative to the pending
bills to repeal the timber and stone
act, which he regards, in its pres
ent shape, as bad legislation, says
a Washington dispatch to tho Ore-'
gonian. But before that law is
repealed the commissioner urges
the repeal or modification of the
forest reserve lieu-land law, which
he says is the most vicious law on
the statute books.
The roeal of the timber and
stone act would cut off all ways of
procuring title to government tim
ber', lands save " by scrip' filings.
The minute this situation is
brought about, the- commissioner
argues, lieu base will immediately
take a jump in price and will ulti
mately find Its way in large quan
tities into the hands of corpora
tions or speculators. With all.
other timber entry cut off, they
would then enjoy the undisputed
right to secure, in full accordance
with the law, the very best govern
ment timber land that is on sur
veyed lands. Either repeal the
lieu land law entirely, says the
commissioner, or amend it to pro
vide that when lands within re
serves are relinquished to the gov
ernment the tracts selected in lieu
shall be not only of the same area
but . of approximately the samo
value as the tracts turned back to
tho government.
While b;th Senator Quarlcs and
Representative Lacey were inclined
to admit tho right of the argument,
they gave no assurance that the
proposed change will be enacted
this season. In fact, tho chances
aro decidedly against action.
New I e for "X !;."
New York, Dec. 16. A Phila
delphia firm, according to a pie-s
dispatch from that city, has receiv
ed an order from the Japanese gov
ernment for several X ray ma
chines which are to he used for a
novel purpose. The firm some
time ago sold to a representative
of the Mikado an X ray machine
which the Japanese explained, was
to be used in the governmental
mints in Japan for the detection
of dishonest employes who stole
by swallowing them. The ma
chine was used to examine suspects
as they left the mint daily, and of
course it revealed the presence of
any coins "in the midst." The
test was so satisfactory that the
Mikado ordered several more
machines, hoping to prevent the
form of theft referred to.
SOME GOOD WORK.
Representative Moody
,,,!:, .Stops Steal.iir.1;
A Neat Little Game ...
DoeaTne Prosperity and Permae-
eiiceof Prliierllle Doped
, IpoaaBalKrarY . ' I
Masdr DmiIoim tiaed Work.
The watchfulness of Representa
tive Moody in the, committee of
Indian affairs, has prevented an
other land grabbing scheme of the
first water slipping into the ap
propriation bill as an innocent
looking amendment. Just as the
House committee' was about to re
port the bill, Acting Chairman
Curtis presented an amendment
which, he said, was recomended by
the Indian office, providing that,
where Indian reservations, created
subsequent to the grants to trans
continental railways, were found
to embrace alternate sections be
longing to such railroads, the com
panies should- have the right to
relinquish these sections and se
lect in lieu thereof lands of equal
area anywhere on the public do
main, either from the surveyed or
UDoiirveyed lands.
Mr, Moody recognized that this
was a provision even more sweep
ing 'than the foreA'reaerve lieu
selection was proving, and so' in
formed the committee. After the
evil effects were pointed "out, the
provision was sent back to the In
dian Office with request that the
CorrtmMohcf. 1 frame art' amend
ment either proposing to purchase
these lands direct from the Indians
or permit an exchange on an equi-
tablo basia, p ,! r ,? ; -
As he pursued the case further,
Mr. Moody found that the legisla
tion was suggested by one of the
land grant roads which owns over
a million and a half acres of land
in Indian reservations in New
Mexico and Arizona," lands worth
not over one cent an acre, but
which under the proposed legisla
tion could be exchanged for lands
worth $10 an acre and more.
This is only one of several roads
that would benefit.
Now that the purpose of the in
nocent looking provision is known,
there is little danger of its incorpo
ration in the bill. When the rail
road attorneys laid their case he-
fore the department they grossly
misrepresented the facts and
managed to throw a blind over the
eyes of Indian Office officials. Had
it not been for Mr. Moody, this
scheme would have gottin in the
bill and probably passed. Ore-
gonian.
Mn. Editor: .
As I view the matter from, all
practical stand points I must an
swer in the negative, providing we
prepare for the struggle that will
come in tho event of railways out
side of our city, to dislodge and re
move the county sent from ns.
How can we help it, is asked, if
the balance of power and popula
tion is located west of us? ,
To ho forewarned is to be fore
armed. Let us make Prinevillo a
city of "no mean" reputation by
such institutions as I have already
proposed and let us build a court
bouse that will not and cannot be
duplicated for a generation to come
We have sonic of the best material
in the world accessible, and Crook
county is able to put up a structure
that will be an honor to her people
for a hundred years to come. "Let
us arise and build" a 125,000 or
130,000 court house, and let us
secure the other buildings also by
our generous and freewill offerings,
and wo shall not need to fear for
the future of Prinevillo, nor for the
lack of Railway facilities, if they
come within reach of us at all,
Business men "of Princvifie and
Crook county! '.'There is that- with
holdeth more than is meet and it
tendeth to poverty; while there is
that winch scatterth and yet it in
creascth."'8uch is the conclusion
of he wisest inaa the world ever
knew, i Is it not wisdom ; yet and
does it not apply today f ' .
Our attention to irrigation ; is
timely and well done. "Vet these
things ought ye to have done and
not to leave others undone." For
the doing of the first will be the
cause of Prineville's undoing, un
less we lay in store against the day
of its successful operation.
.' i ' -" ' ; E. A. Child.
TaGet more Settlr.
Potter & Chapin, of Portland,
have just received from Immigra
tion Agent G. M. McKinney, of
the Harriman lines, appointment as
land and immigration agents for
Oregon, and their headquarters
will be in Mr McKinney's office in
Chicago. These men receive this
appointment Dy reason of their
connection with the Tumello irri
gation enterprise. The 27,000
acres covered by that project of
fers so important a fiehj for settlers'
thatjt is deemed worth while to
offier special facilities for bringing
if more the' attention of ; Eastern
homcseekers.
The Three Sisters Irrigation
Company .which has obtained the
contract for reclaiming the Tumello
valley is closely allied with, -the
Columbia Southern Railroad Corh-
pauy, nd I lie preparations are
now being made to change the
name of the corporation to the
Columbia Southern Irrigation Com
pany. Th company has a force
of men in the field clearing right
of way end doing rock work. Three
miles of canal are already com
pleted', and ' the intention is to
bring a large share of the entire
tract under ditch for next season's
crop. lth tins understanding,
Potter & Chapin are going after
the settlers, using the advantages
of the Harriman immigration
agency to "help them in the work
Results of considerable import
ance to the state are expected from
this movement in the Deschutes
vallev;
The Three Sisters irrigatiou pro
ject is off at one side the main val
ley, and it has escaped the criti
cism that has been directed against
some of the reclamation enterprises.
The board of trade of Bend has
formally indorsed the operations
of the Three Sisters Company.
Potter & Chapin will enter the
immigration ofhee in Chicago
about the first of next month.
Uncle Ephraim's Philosophy.
De watermillion dat is greenest in
de rind may hub de reddest heart.
A catfish on de line is worf a
whale in de watah. " ;
.'. Do biggest thoutah ain't. alters
de man what sees the contrihu'h-
ion plattah.
When de possum thinks ties
slyest he's closest to do fryin' pan.
Cole pertaters from yo' own
patch is bettah dan chicken from
yo' neighbor's coop.
hf yo' don t putt up de weeds
yo' won't dig up a crap.
De longah de face de longah de
niB'ry.
bleep's mighty good, but de rab
bit, ain't a gwine to wake de gun-
nnh.
De higah de white collah, de
blackah de colahed pusson looks.
De man whats allers gibbin,
away ginnerally has to go a-bor-
rowin' to de man what keeps what
he gits.
hmptynv de pantry fer dinnah
ain't a-gwine to set de table fer
suprah Youth's Companion.
NEWS BRIEFLY TOLD
Items of Interest Gath
ered Here and There
Some Stolen, Others Not
Oullinga From Our Exchanges
News Notes of the Week
Timely Topics.
Morton Tower has been appoint
ed by President Roosevelt collector
of customs for the district of
Southern Oregon,
Fourteen million salmon were
turned out of the government
hatchery at Little White Salmon
into the Columbia river the past
year.
At present there are 243 students
registered at the State University.
This does not include the students
in the medical and law depart
ments at Portland nor those in the
musical department at Eugene.
George Smith, the colored wife
murderer, will not be hanged in
Portland next Friday, as Judge
George yesterday Bigned a certifi
cate of probable cause, which is in
effect to stay the proceedings until
an appeal can be taken to the su
preme court. 1 " ' '
A country editor writing on
trusts saye that the country news
paper combine is the biggest trust
on earth. It trusts everybody, gets
cussed for trusting, mistrusted for
cussing, and if it busts for trusting,
gets cussed for busting. .
.'. According to last weeks Herald,
we are now a 1irst class editor and
a fourth class postmaster. On
looking over the efforts in this is
sue we discover it to be a third
class newspaper for which we will
collect second class postage thus
our numerical status is settled.
Antelope Herald.
It is announced that the rail
roads leading to the Pacific coast
will put into effect a special immi
gration rate next spring, and if so
there will be a considerable influx
into this country. Eastern Oregon
will certainly get its share of the
new comers since it offers many
inducements to the homeseekers.
They are to have a new line of
railroad from Grants Pass to Cres
cent City; the Coos Bay road may
be extended to Roseburg; it is said
the rails for the Portland-Nehalem
and Tillamook road have been!
purchased. The Oregon Coast
country will yend out it , is a
part of Oregon, by stronger evi
dence than when tho people west
of the Coast Range pay their State
taxes or come to the Asylum or
Penitentary, or the Legislature.
The War Department is having j
trouble in fitting uniforms to our
Filipino scouts.- The first 5,000 j
were cut for the slim physiques j
characteristic of the little brown
men. Col. Humphry now says
that they have fattened so rapidly
on thj bsistence stores furnished
that s almost impossible for
them to get into their uniforms.
A case believed to be without
parallel in political history was
discovered in Montana, when it was
found that the electors of Silver
Bow county had lieen casting their
votes for a man who bad been dead
seven days before the polls opened.
Another peculiar feature of the
case is that the dead man ranii,.nrhini artwml W. n,l vie
that the dead
ahead o! his ticket and waa elected
. . i
county treasurer on the socialist
ticket.
Perry McDaniel, who has been
out to the desert with his sheep
was in Lakeriew Monday. Perry
says he has his sheep located at the
head of Buzzard canyon in Harnvy
county, 120 miles north-east of
here. He thinks the feed . on tho '
desert is better than he ever saw it,
and accounts for it from the fact
that the water there - dried up
earlier than usual, and the sheep
were forced to move off sooner than
customary, and thus the grass was
saved. Examiner.
Amended Homeatead Law.
Washington. Bills were intro
duced by Representative Laev
(Iowa) to repeal the desert land
law commutation provisions of
the homestead laws. , ,
Dallei Ibarpeheolera.
It is not often that the best
marksmen are able to kill a turkey
at 600 yards range, but this feat
has been accomplished by four men
in The Dalles. A year ago Thanks
giving A. Y. Marsh, who conducts
the holiday shooting matches,
brought down a turkey at 600 yards
and this year the same thing was
done by two old men and one
youth. The successful nimrods
were Dr. Siddall, A. J. Anderson
and H. S. Wilson. . The doctor is
past 70 years and Mr. Anderson is
nearly that age, and both are ex
cellent shots with a rifle. Mr.
Wilson thinks when he gets the
age of his associates on the range he
will be able to bring down a tur
key at a thousand yards, if he im
proves in the future as he has in
the past.
The killing of a turkey 600 yards
away is indeed remarkably good
shooting, and it is doubtful if
another owny'n i stuUvpn fur
nish four men who can. acinmplish
the feat. Mountaineer,
lihwiM Items.
Geo Massamore left here last
Thursday for Baker Citv.
J... M. Hamilton of Antelope
spent several days in this vicinity
this week.
Jim Wood and Charley Duncan
are doing the assessment cn the
Cymri claim.
Miss Maggie Boyd, sister of Mrs.
Stanton Black arrived in town- on
a visit to her sister.
B. F. German the rustling drum
mer for Wadhams & Kerr Bros,
was in town Monday.
Charley Swanson and Dan Evans
are doing assessment work on one
of the Kiraberly claims.
Wm. Wiley manager of tho
Antelope G. & S. mining company
was here Tuesday looking for some
miners to work on the property.
Mrs. P. Lehrman who had been
i visiting her folks in Prineville re
turned home on Sunday and Pete
doesn't look as lonesome ns he did
The cou weather of the last
three days has frozen the mud and
traveling though somewhat rousrh
is much' better than it was.
Chas. Derham the veteran saw
mill man was in town several days
this week. He has shut the mill
down for the winter and is on a
collecting tour.
M. L. Oliver, foreman of the B.
S. & L. company's ranch on Upper
Trc u, arrived home from Si'verton
on Saturday. He brought a team
and wagon with him and came by
way of The Dalles.
Miss Mae Smith, who has teen
o " , , 'nca
Katie sorts, who has been teaching
on Blizzard Ridge, will leave here
today to spend the holidays at
their homes in the valley. Miss
Smith is expected back in a couple
of weeks to teaeh tha balance of
the winter"
Pick ahd Drill.