'J
S'dit-brial '-Page f IE -j!ipaal;
PORTLAND, OREGON
THURSDAY, MARCH 3 1904,
THE OREGON DAILY JOURNAL
. v AN INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER
C f, JACKSON
Published every evening except
OFFICIAL, PAPER OF TUB CITY OF
A SUNDAY
GN. THE eleventh day of this month The Journal will
be two years old. It is safe to say that during the
last year no American newspaper has made greater
proportionate trides In business, circulation or in In
fluence. From a modest and purely experimental plant It
'has in that time, grown into a thoroughly equipped; and
well established institution. Six months ago' it more than
doubled the capacity of the floor space at its disposal. It
is already1 becoming so cramped for room that further
expansion is again a problem which is Immediately be
fore it. '
In its mechanical equipment it has secured the very
Lest that money could buy. Nothing has been bought to
meet a temporary exigency; , everything has; been pur-?
thased to meet not merely the present, but What at the
time was believed to be the probable needs of the estab
lishment for a long time to come. The Goss press upon
which the. paper was first printed was speedily out
grown. In its stead was ordered superb Hoe press with
color attachment. This it was fondly believed would i!Hl
the bill for two years to come. But in less than seven
months' time this press has been outgrown and another
deck has, been ordered for It that will increase its ca
pacity by 8,000 complete papers an hour. This press will
ihen print, cut, fold, count and deliver a 82-page paper
from a single impression. t williprlnt In one ; Impression
In four colors, as black, red, green and yellow, besides the
variations colors that may be achieved through blend
ing any of these. On this press, which we hope to -see in
stalled within the next two months, The Journal Will
achieve results In color work never before attempted by
any newspaper Jn the Pacific Northwest
challenge comparison with any: color
any newspaper in any part of the United States.
Every other part of the mechanical equipment is im
mediately being raised to the same high
meet the Increased demands which are
it. Now that the evening issue of The
SPEAKING OF "TRADITIONAL
OUNT CASSINI, Russia's accredited ambassador at
1- Washington, has turned up once more with a long
"" Interview on the same old subject of Adam-zad's
warm friendship toward the people of the United States.
He deplores that the feeling among the people of America
should be of such painful unfriendliness toward; ''peace
loving" Russia, and he Indulges In an effort to make 'the
world believe that all this is due entirely to "the constant
unfriendly feeling expressed In many American news
papers against Russlarwhich,- so far as Russia can see,
are without cause." Incidentally, he reminds us "of ab
solutely false reports which have been sent to Russia from
the United States about matters affecting the "far eastern
situation," By; this, f course, the official spokesman otA
Russia's government evidently means to Justify the slan
derous attack made upon the people of the United States
by the Russian newspapers, not only since the war opened,
but long before that great event and a' great event it will
prove before this last enterprise of Russia comes ' to a
close. v . vi' I . '.' "'.f
Now, of all the popular delusions that ever found their
way Into the human brain none is so far from1 the truth
as this so-called "'traditional friendships of Riyssia toward
the United States. Never has Russia' been & friend to
these United States, not even during the civil war,; when
It turned, up with some of Its old tubs in the American
waters, waiting for a chance for spoils in case the for
tunes of war should turn against the perpetuation of the
: Union. The, actual mission of its squadron and its
squadrons in those days were even more celebrated than
those of present days has never been made known. But
had these ships, or rather, schooners, been Jn our waters
with the intention Russia now-claims. It would have been
most anxious to indulge in loud talking about its service to
the United States', when the - perpetuation of the Union be
came an established fact. ';
But suppose, for the sake of argument, that we concede
to Russia her- claim of her good intentions in American
waterswhat of it? Does that dispose of Russia's ac
tions since that memorable war and up to this date?
Those who are familiar with Russian affairs as they ac
tually exist in Russia, those who know how the United
States is regarded and spoken of by Russia in Its own
dominions;- those who know of the constant complaints
made by United States representatives to Russia regard
ing the brutal treatment accorded them by "the bear that
looks like a man;" those who have read the late consular
reports from the far east wherein the story of discrimina
tion is told In unmistakable terms-o-te all those this so-
' t ailed "traditional friendship" of Russia is altogether too
silly for any consideration.
Only in 1896, less than eight years ago, Minister Breck
inridge who had neither reaper nor mftwer to sell in his
report to the United States government, complained that
Prince Lobanoff's official transactions with him lacked
Jn ordinary courtesy. February 15th last the department
of commerce and labor issued a report of United States
Consul Miller in which he gives a fair representation of
Russia's "traditional friendship." The reader will scarcely
believe It possible that po deliberate a discrimination
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
national and Local Politics. ,
Portland, Or., March 2. To the Editor
of The Journal The action of the Ohio
JJeinoorary in the Twenty-ninth congres
sional district yesterday is significant
The .open declaration of the "conserva
tive" Democracy In favor of W. R.
Hearst is only another manifestation
nf his acceptability In communities
where Jeffersonian principles predomi
nate. This Hearst sr-nliment la not a
llttin thing. In every state in the
Union where I have personally spoken
with men of acknowledged conaervailsm,
Hearst stands for 'safety Jn business
and purity in government. His name
terrorizes Only two classes the curb
stone crowd of stock manipulators and
"the place-hunting Democrat. The for
mer because his financial editors refuse
tn osceive the public by fictitious quota
;.ns Of wash-sales; the latter b'ieeause
tney fear "the money power" is final in
presidential elections, is against Hearst,
and hence there would be no show for
the decoration Of their patriotism by
public office.
Now. I don't know Mr. Hearst. But 1
do know Wall Street and La Halle street.
And I do know that in both places Mr.
Hearst I regarded sound In his atti
tude against over-capitalization and the
financial necromancy of those aqua
pneumatle -i aggregations of promoters
known as trusts.' InJteot, it was from
tnforpiatlon collected by Hearst that
many financial Institutions Jn New York,
Chicago and elsewhere received the hint
wbiWi prevented their annihilation in tint
fearful liquidation of last year. These
V 1
PUBLISHED BY JOURNAL PUBLISHING Ca
uUy Jit The Journal Building, Fifth
ISSUE OF THE
as an established institution, the logical an unavoidable
outcome is a, Sunday morning issue. Whllea newspaper
may only be printed six days a week, the news of the
world goes on Just the same for the full seven, That news
is just as essential on the seventh day as on the . other
six, Just as much In demand by the readers and ' Just as
much 'enjoyed. When that fortunate time comes , in the
history of a newspaper thatt is taken for Its own Bake,
that people become
professes and Its
readers begin to regard it as a hardship that the news
field is, not covered for them every day in the week and
that on one day they must turn? to other and leas favorite
sources for their
when this demand becomes so Insistent that it can no
longer be denied.
It is this stage that The Journal has reached. The de
mand for a Sunday' morning Issue of The Journal has be
come so widespread that it can no longer be resisted. Fol
lowing its usual custom" to meet every .reasonable demand
made upoh tt by'the people It serve's, and who, have faith
fully stood by it from the start," it has determined to put
forth a Sunday morning Issue on the 20th of the present
month. This will mean that for six days each week, that
Is every week day, The Journal will be printed In the
evening, while on one day in the .week, that is Sunday, it
will be printed as a morning newspaper.
All arrangements are now practically completed for a
superb staff of writers, men and women of national fame.
It is proposed to make of the issue the most popular
newspaper ever issued in Oregon. It will have its own
leased wire service to cover the news fully and adequately
and much more picturesquely than it has ever before been
done In Portland. It will embrace many novel features,
many new and striking methods, but it will stick closely
to the fearless policy which In two years has placed the
evening issue far in the forefront in its field and which we
Venture to say will ih much less time give its Sunday is
sue unchallenged first place in that particular field.
and which will
work .produced by
standard so as to
being made "upon
Journal is regarded
FRIENDSHIP'
should have been carried on by a "friendly". power without
an unmistakable protest or retaliation on the part of the
United States. And the strange part' of it is that, while
the discriminator la constantly harping of the '"traditional
friendship" toward the United States, "hot a single Amer
ican citizen or progressive business house" Is to be found
In so active a trade city as Harbin. - So we are Informed
by Mr.; MHlen and he also-declares that i'tbe question of
Manchurlan market becomes comparatively insignificant,
and we find ourselves face to face with the greater prob
lem of the markets of all Asia." ; Indeed, this is exactly
what It jneana, should this "traditional friend" of ours
pecome the dominant factor In the far east, and It is some
thing which the Atnerican people had better realize now
than to unavalllngly regret it afterward. s
i i i
GOOD MEN'S
UNDER the head, ' 'Conscienceless Nuisances," the
'"Chicago Record-Herald says:
"Chicago has too many; citizens whose con
sciences reach no higher-; than the tops of their smoke
stacks. They may be really respectable people up to that
fixed limit, but beyond it they are vile. The worst of It
is that they are forever flaunting the sooty , banner of
their shame where lean see, -
"It is a fact, strange enough, that the wealthier people
of Chlcagb are the sinners, Other people might sin in the
same way if they possessed smokestacks, but they don't,
so they are out of it. One would think that these wealthy
sinners would reach the heights of conscience through
civic pride, if tn no other way."
These remarks have reference to the smoke nuisance in
the big wlndy""city, and are no doubt justified by the
facts; but do not worse nuisances, far greater evils, exist
not only in Chicago, but in smaller cities, even in Portland,
because of the "conscienceless" mixture of acquisitiveness
and apathy exhibited by many respectable and well-to-do
citizens? , -
How many of our "best citizens" or those regarded gen
erally as fair types if not perfect models of good citizen
ship, .lift or cause to be lifted a, finger from season to
season, from year to year, to clean their otherwise
vacant lots and blocks, increasing rapidly in value
through others' toil and enterprise, of noxious and noisome
weeds, that are a nuisance to neighbors and pedestrians?
Nay, how many of our most worthy and moral citizens, as
popularly estimated,' derive a portion of their income
from the rent of buildings for vicious and criminal pur
poses? And how many, what proportion of them, would
take an active and open part In any practical attempt to
cleanse the city of the festering vice of gambling, and
other gross evils?
If men who at least thus , negatively indorse and en
courage such evils are not totally "conscienceless," their
consciences 'are surely girded by avariciousness and be
numbed by moral apathy as to the true duties of "the
best citizens' in civic life,
A "lot' of awakened consciences as to "good' men's" duty
to the community in which they live would soon make
Portland a far cleaner, purer and in all respects better
city.
Institutions do not fear Mr. Hearst. Nor
do the depositors of Bavlugs banks or any
one engaged In legitimate business. And
while such people are not so clamorous
In print as the promotive element, their
influence la more effective and diversi
fied. And it Is from this source came
the first public impulse in forcing
Hearst's candidacy into an active move
ment. Now. this is not an unaccountable
thing. It in in the very nature of busi
ness prescience to look for safety In
popularity. This Is usually gained by
courage and honesty. And as the known
attitude of Hearst upon every public
question could be foretold by this moral
test, his popularity grew and will con
tinue to grow in response to the very
natural moral Impulses of the public
who find their own pronounced notions
of right apd wrong so well reflected ia
tils editorial utterances
Movements originating thus, are spon
taneous and Irresistible. The Ohio Dem
ocracy will And numerous imitators in
Michigan, Indiana. Wisconsin, Iowa, Illi
nois, New York and elftewher.
Hearst clubs are springing up every
where, and even in this state the Hearst
club has made its appearance. Many
more will follow, and it 1m only a ques
tion of days when shrewd political op
portunists will be quietly oo-operating
with that determined eastern Democracy-in
favor of Mr. Hearst.
The. fact that Hearst announces his
candidacy In his own Journals Is some
times criticised. For my part I can only
see m courageous exhibition of honesty
in this. The Politician Itching for th
nomination will usually He about his
aspirations, . He will also He to office
seekers if elected. But an honest man
reUiom blushes for telling the truth,
JNO. P. CARROLL
and Yamhill streets. Portland, Oregoa
PORTLAND
JOURNAL.
attached to the " principles which It
methods of presenting the news, the
enlightenment. There comes a time
CONSCIENCES DORMANT.
even to political friends. And if elected
the office-seeker can discover either suc
cess or defeat of his own aspirations by
an examination of conscience.
But there is another reason why
Hearst should give the public the news
Every one familiar with the first prin
ciples of competitive effort knows that
successful rivalry provokes either Jeal
ousy or admiration. A big man with a
big brain will admire a successful rival
The gnat announces its presence only
by Its sting. 8o little men, Jealous of a
successful rival, either suppress tht
news or distort it. And this is a swin
dle upon their own patrons who. want
the news. And instead of being an In
Jury to Hearst, Is an injustice to the
commonwealth. What tha people want
are facts, not diatribes. And upon facts
only can sound political Judgment be ex
ercised. Unfortunately, the gnat Is in
the majority, and it is really refreshing
to find In The Journal so many exhi
bitions of broad Journalism as to place
it in the minority.
Recently The Journal called attention
to the fact that new residents were not
registering. Why? Because they are
not up on catch-as-catch-can politics.
They are not factlonists. They are so
numerous that, if allied to the Demo
cratic party, Oregon would become Dem
ocratic. And nothing is simpler. Let
Hearst clubs be organized, and let the
membership begin its work with the
new comer. The result will be surpris
ing and gratifying. The reign of the
DlUB-UarlV Will lHannnnar lth , Vo Ho--
r " . . . uv u; i ii -
Niclarles of graft: the four-flushing offl-
vini win cease 10 parade nis contempt
of puBlic decency and law, and a clean
Democracy 'will enter Into control of
every elective oflic in the state. ;
W. R. McOARRr,
Oregon Sidelights
Elijah Smith, once a great railroad
magnate in Oregon, will spend the sum
mer on Coos Bay. -
1 The" Moro correspondent of the Wasco
news. "expects some fine beef In towni"
a cow weighing 1.800 pounds was sold
to a local butcher.
Several Oregon ranchmen are going
Into the muleralsing business quite ex
tensively: After a while Oregon may
rival Missouri as a mule state.
Seaside doesn't depend altogether on
its sCtmmer resort reputation. The Sen
tinel says more building is going on
there than in any previous year.
Wallowa .county lias a settlement
named Lovely. Up the Willamette val
ley Jsjme called Edenbower. These will
do to offset Stafveout and Needy. r
The Eugene Register stands up val
iantly, for Receiver Booth and Register
Bridges; but that is natural; they nicely
butter much of the Register's bread.
"Forty-nine Jimmy," a well-knpwn old
time miner of Grant county, who. for
years was ,the only resident of the once
booming Robinsonvllle camp, Is dead,
aged 79.
Four brothers named McMuller paid
fines and costs aggregating $130 for dis
turbing a dance and committing assault
and battery at Alville, Gilliam county,
at which rite they should have had a
whole lpt of fun.
"During the past month," states the
Joseph Herald, "the doctor has made no
less than six trips' to administer to the
wants of ,as many patients." Is this a
"slam" on the doctor, or an advertise
ment' of Joseph's healthfulness?
"Monday was a busy day for the courts
of Myrtle Creek," says a correspondent
of the Roseburg : Plhindealer, because
"Sunday a number of the men people
were.ibusy in certain quarters acting the
fool and breaking the law." But isn't
the word "men',' in this item superfluous?
It was clearly demonstrated last week
that Moro people are heartily tired of
moving pictures, and magic lantern
scene. A couple of nigger minstrels
with a big bass fiddle and tootle tootle
accompaniment shared the same fate
the night before. Moro people evidently
demand high-class amusement.
There is evidently a very tough gang
of youngsters in Seaside, who need se
vere repression.- Several robberies oc
curred last week, according to the Sen
tinel, besides much malicious mischief
Some boys broke no less than- 63 win
dows in one - vacant cottage and com
mitted other depredations characteristic
of hoodlums. The breaking of win
dows has been witnessed by the parents
of the boys who let them go ahead with
out remonstrating. It is thought the
boys' parents encourage them in break
ing the windows. ,. . .
Oregon products are "getting" a rep
utation, as this item from the newsy
Weston, Umatilla county, leader indi
cates; "Sim J. Culley recently sshlpped
a car of potatoes centainlng 317 sacks to
Minneapolis, and is preparing -to Ship
another so soon as the load is made up.
The 'spuds' make the journey In refrigerator-
cars, and each requires about a
ton of straw for lining. The shipping
market that is being established for
Weston potatoes is of considerable value
to the grower. AS the mountain prod
uct cannot be excelled, it is bound to
acquire a foothold wherever introduced."
A JrXEXXBX.E CKABTEB.
Obeyed in One Bespect, Bat Beflea to
Protect Crime.
From the Salem Statesman.
Mayor Williams of Portland declares
that a late suggestion of some enter
prising citizen of that city relating to
the better disposition of its garbage is
impracticable because of the added ex
pense it would entail, and there is no
authority in the city charter for In
curring It. To those who have been
reading the Portland papers for the past
year, this suggestion that anything,, no
matter what, cannot be done there be
cause of the city charter forming a
barrier to it. Is amusing in the extreme.
Jf the charter places a limit to what
money can be used for, the provision
making that limit i lived up to abso
lutely, for money is needed and must
be bad. And that is right. But If the
same charter also says that ' certain
other things cannot be done, because
wrong. If those other things will agree
to pay a monthly sum into the city
treasury, then that prohibitive clause
in the charter-can be conveniently over
looked, for money Is needed and must
be had. And this is wrong.
If the charter prohibits a thing that
would cost money If allowed, then the
charter can and must be enforced, but
If it-prohibits a thing thnt will promise
to pay money into the treasury if the
prohibiting clause is overlooked, then
it cannot be enforced. Everything and
anything can be sacrificed for a full
treasury. All other considerations are
secondary. Gambling Is wrong, its in
fluences are not to be defended by any
body, laws are passed prohibiting It in
eyery state and city, so universal is
public sentiment- opposed to It, yet. it
is tolerated in almost every city be
cause its devotees are willing to pay
for the privilege, and the shining nickel
is not to be disregarded.
"But the city needs the money"-
more, it is presumed than it stands in
need of young' mere reared free from
the Influences of a habit that all legis
lation Is arrayed against. If the ordin
ary city charter, were made of veritable
India rubber Itself, it could not be more
convenient for all sorts of reversible
and c&ntradlctory purposes, unclassified
and self-adjustable, than are those of
our modern cities and towns under the
very amazing species of construction to
which they are subjected by their of
ficial creatures.
Xiocal Option,
Lebanon, Or., Feb, 28. To the Editor
of The Journal A good many of your
readers In Lebanon are interested in the
success of the local option bill and hope
for your hearty support.
We know that the saloon element has
raised a large sum of money to fight this
measure and no doubt it will buy the
support of the Oregonlan and its "Even
ing Echo" but we hope better things of
The Journal,
We have read with Interest your fear
less denunciation of Mayor Williams
and his pro-gambling policy and other
corruption-and shall watch with inter
est the editorial page of The Journal
for. that support in this struggle whlcl.
your former position has given us rea
son to expect R. M. GOODRICH.
Wo Mischief At AIL
"Willie, are you and Ben in any mis
chief out there?"
"Oh, no." replied the boy. "We're !!
right. We're Just playing ball with
some eggs the grocer left tor see how
many times? we cuh catch one before it
breaks." .
GREAT TIMBER LAND FIGHT
(Washington Correspondence New York
' , Herald.)
The speculators are alarmed at the
aroused public Indignation and the Inves
tigations 'now. being made of their opera
tions. So far the latter have, the bet
ter of it, and will continue their "graft"
until congress puts a stop to it. -
The timber and stone act became a
law. in 1878. In the i6 years this law
has been ou the statute books the' Uni
ted States government has sold about
OOO.OOO acres of good timber for 2.SU
an acre, thus receiving about Sl0,000,
000 for what is worth, at a conservative
estimate, at least 1100,000,000, and pos
sibly considerably more.
The timber and stone act provides tnat
100 acres of land declared to be unfit for
cultivation If-the timber were removed,
and valuable chiefly for the timber upon
it, can be obtained by a citizen of the
United States' upon the payment of $2.60
an acre for the same. The person appro
priating the land makes affidavit to all
the . requirements of the law, including
the statement that it is for his or her
exclusive 'use and benefit, and that no
prior agreement or contract has been
made by which the benefit of the appro
priation may be obtained by any other
person. -
The first few years this law was In
effect the land disposed of by the ogv
ernment averaged very little more than
10,000 acres a year, and indeed, -up to
1899, the segregation barely amounted to
50,000 acres a year. In 1900 big lumber
companies and other speculative inter
ests realized the imminent repeal of this
law in response to popular agitation.
and the Judgment of the executive de
partment of the government, ana Began
to utilise it .to the utmost.
In 1900 about 300,000 acres of timber
were obtained ; in lii)l about 400,000
acres; in 1902 nearly 650,000 acres, and
during the last fiscal year the remark
able activity of the timber speculators
resulted in the appropriation in 18
months of 1,766,222 acres of forest.
Even the notorious lethargy of the
land office at Washington was disturbed
by this phenomenal record. An unusual
number of special agents were put into
the field , and. the prosecuting officers of
the law department of the government
were instructed to keep a sharp watch
for possible cases of violation and per
jury. The result of this activity has been
to cause a national scandal and give tre
mendous force to the recommendations
for the repeal of the law. It has ois
closed a condition of affairs in the ad
ministration Of government timber land
which should be productive of many in
dictments and prosecutions.
Traffic in timber business has been a
recognised business in the northwestern
and Pacific coast states for some years
past. Timber cruisers, in the employ of
big lumber companies, have searched the
public domain for valuable forests. Once
found, they are put upon the government
maps and steps are immediately taken
to get title thereto.
Employes of the companies are in
duced to take up claims of 160 acres
each, and some corporations have even
gone soar to advertise for persons
with timber rights to make filings for
them. The companies furnish all the
necessary data, have the papers made
out and signed, and the pliant claimant
need not leave his or her office to be
come the locator and finally the osten
sible owner of 160 acres of saw, tim
ber. '
. The company furnishes the money to
perfect title and pays the enterpris
ing citizen, who has ' farmed out his
right, an average of 1100 as a bonus for
exercising the same. In this manner
tracts of timber land amounting in some
instances to more than 100,000 acres
have been obtained by a single corpor
ation. This is notably true in northern
California, Washington, Oregon and
Idaho. - "..'
Recent disclosures have shown that
notwithstanding the ease with which in
dividuals can be obtained to Utilize their
rights, timber speculators have , even
gone so far as to bribe officers of the
local land offices to insert the names
of dummies in the necessary blanks and
affidavits and transmit these papers to
Washington as bona tide applications for
timber lands.
Members of congress from the states
most Interested have viewed the situa
tion with indifference, or even gone so
far as to state their belief 'that it was
a good way for their constituents to
make a few dollars on the side by exer
cising their citizenship rights and per
juring themselves for the benefit of
some Individual or corporation engaged
in getting a reserve supply of timber
for their mills for sale at a great
profit within a few years.
Thousands of homesteads have been
filed upon valuable timber land for the
purpose of getting title to the same, and
it is comparatively easy, with pliant wit
nesses and still more pliant officers of
local land offices, for the homesteader to
maintain an alleged residence upon his
claim for 14 months and then pay the
government price of $2.60 an acre within
the limit of railroad grants, or $1.26
an acre without such limits, and get a
title deed to his 160 acres of timber.
Employes of lumber companies work
ing in the region where it .is desired to
obtain this timber land can assure them
selves of a long term of employment at
good wages by taking up homestead
claims for the purpose of turning them
over to their employers as soon as title
has been passed. There is no way of
estimating how much timber the gov
ernment has lost through the operations
of the homestead law as it stands, but
the recent disclosures of land frauds
in northern California, the principals in
which are now being prosecuted by the
government, show that scores of per
sons have been hired to use their home
stead rights for the benefit of lumber
merchants.
Many of these persons signed their ap
plications and final affidavits without
ever visiting the land involved, and per
jury in connection with land matters
has become of So little Importance In
the sections of country where these
operations are conducted that n& one
seems to give it a second thought, and
as for taking it seriously, a man is
looked upon as a prude' or a crank who
would object to complying with the
forms necessary to carry out such a
purpose. i
The secretary of the interior In his re
port over a year ago, after alluding to
"the rapidity with which the unappro
priated and 'unresefved public 'timbered
lands are , being denuded of their timber
under the act mentioned, and the oppor
tunity offered under the timber and stone
act for the fraudulent acquisition of
title to public timbered lands at the uni
form price of $2.60 an acre, when they
are in many instances worth 40 times
that," proceeded to recommend the re
peal of the timber and stone act and that
control of the timber on public lands be
turned over to the , interior department,
and continued: ; , ; .
"The reports of the special agents of
this department In the field show that at
someof the local land offices carloads of
entrymen arrive at a time, every one of
whom makes entry under the timber and
aone act. The cost of K0 acres of land
under that act and the accompanying
commissions is $416.
, "As many si five members of a family
who, it can be readily, , shown, never
had $2,076 in their lives, walk up cheer
fully and pay the price of the land
and the commissions. Under such c,
oiimiatatipitii thpro la onlv one conclusion
to be drawn and that is that where whole
carloads of such people maKe entry un
der that act the unanimity of sentiment
mA r,h 'ndfeVi ,n avnln't , ft mmt hn.vu
originated id some source other than
themselves.
.Since then there has been greater ac
tivity in acquiring timber lands," until
now, with the exception of a few-isolated
tracts nearly all of the vast forest in
the Rocky mountain region once owned
by the United States governmentthat
by the people of the. country as a
Whole and held as,one of the great as
sets of the nation,. has been segregated
from Public ownership, excepting the
area included within the forest reserva
tions. Congress Jn 1901 passed a law au
thorizing the setting aside of forest re
serves, and up to the present time
63,032,665 acres, nearly all of which Is
timbered, has been set aside in the4 for
est reserves of the' United States arid
fully 30,000,000 acres more are now un
der consideration, and will probably be
rapidly absorbed into the forest reserve
area, thus bringing the total up to at
least 100,000,000 acres. '
There are now many prosecutions
pending against men accused of Juggling
with forest reserve matters, and many
serisatjonal stories have been recently
published which would indicate an
enormous amount of fraud In connection
therewith. .,
The alleged fraud consists of obtain
ing advance information from the land
office at Washington as to the purpose
of the interior department to withdraw
a certain area as a forest reserve, and
then to crowd in as many land filings
and claims of various descriptions
within the boundary of the area to be
selected, this to be followed by politi
cal pressure to secure the setting aside
of the reserve.
After this is accomplished then the
government is forced under the law to
give what is known as the lieu land
privilege to those who have claims
within the newly created reserve.
There is very little actual illegality
to be found In the methods employed to
take advantage of the forest reserve
law. The abuse of this law arises from
defects in the legislation itseir, for it is
provided that if a man shall have filed
a homestead, claim or shall, through
any other means, have obtained title t6
land within the tract set aside, the gov
ernment shall give him the right to
select an equal acreage of land from
any part of the public domain as yet un
occupied. It follows, therefore, if a man. should
take up a claim of 160 acres under apy
pretext upon a tract of land which was
later on included within a forest re
serve, that no matter how worthless this
claim might be, so far as the character
of the land was concerned, he would be
entitled to 160 acres of as good land,
farming or timber, as he could find else
where. In northern California arid ''some of
the other northwestern states, where the
states own school land, this school land
has been bought by speculators and po
litical pressure brought to bear to have
that particular section of country set
aside in forest reservations.. The school
land itself may have been of most
worthless character and bought at the
minimum price. The right of filing upon
the land is assignable, and it has been
sold upon the open market at a rate
generally ranging from $5 to $6 an acre.
It has also been used to take up
great blocks of timber land In the north
western and Paclflo coast states, there
being a handsome profit represented in
the transfer of worthless land in the re
serves to the government and the reloca
tion of a similar acreage upon valuable
timber. This is all permitted under the
law, however.
It Is estimated that about 3,000,000
acres of railroad lands and private
claims have been included in the 63,000,
000 acres of forest reserves set aside.
Of this 3,000,000 acres about two-thirds
have been relocated, elsewhere-; About
600,000 acres of lieu land privilege Is still
outstanding which is available for im
mediate use when those who; hold it
shall so decide. There are BOO.tOO acres
more which cannot be used until the
land within the forest reserves is sur
veyed and the boundaries of the private
claims on this unsurveyed land fully de
fined so as to ascertain the acreage in
volved. The Northern Pacific railroad has been
the greatest beneficiary of this lieu land
privilege, for that road has had 1,300,000
acres of its land grant included within
forest reserves, this being in Montana,
Idaho and Washington. The Southern
Pacific has had about 600,000 acres, the
Atlantic & Pacific about 876,000 acres,
the Oregon Central about 100,000 acres,
and a few smaller amounts are divided
among other Pacific coast transportation
lines.
That these forest reserves have been
established in such a manner that less
than 6 per cent of their area has been
found to be in private ownership makes
it evident that land speculators have
not been notably successful In grafting
in this direction, and it is also true that
a very large part of tha private lands
taken in by these .orest reserves has
been of legitimate value to the owners,
hence the difference between the actual
value of the private land absorbed by
the reserves and what could be realized
for the selections taken in lieu else
where does not represent a very con
siderableamount. It shrinks into significance when com
pared with the profits and acreage 1nr
volved in the operations of the timber
and stone act, the commutation of the
homestead act or the desert land act.
After a -discussion of the forest re
serve law and its effects with respect to
the public range the Herald concludes.
The joss of the timber resources of
the United States is susceptible of more
or less sensational presentation. The
public mind is arousod by the figures
presented and conditions are easily
brought homo to consumers. It is fre
quently stated In the house and senate
that there are , still more than 600,000,
000 acres of the public land remaining
open for settlement. This is not true.
There are only 300,000.000 acres of sur
veyed land left in the public domain
outside of the reservations, practically
all of the land suspectlble Of settlement
has heen surveyed; therefore the 200,
000,000 acres of unsurveyed land esti
mated Is all mountainous or otherwise
uninhabitable area. '
Of the 300,000,000. acres of surveyed
land much of this is of rough character,
woodland or desert, and when all the
deductions are made it will be found
that within the area of land possible of
irrigation and that now Is used for pas
turage and firmly held by large live
stock Interests Is included all that is left
of the 2.000,000,000 acres with which
Uncle Sam started in the land business
100 years ago. .
forget Yourself.
From the New York Press.
"Forget yourself and be a gentleman."
may not be a new phrase, but it Is a
gqod one to paste in somebody's hat
maybe your own, . ; - ,.
- Small Change
The wrong thing never- pays, in the
long run.
Then why not organize a Chamber
lain club? ' --.
The rain that tell in February can't
fall again." , , -
Two things' to do soon-pay taxes
and register.
Rockefeller -has taken to skating; be
so loves to cut ice.
' Homebuyers to C. Ou-y Wakefield et
al.i "We're from Missouri."
Many Oregon statesmen would Jump
at the chance to go to congress at half
the salary. .. , ,
War item from the Scio News: "Born,
to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Dobrikovltsky, a
son." ;;.''
Still the "literary fellers" disagree;
so we read Korea and Corea, Tokio and
Tokyo.
The most successful dentist' Is the
orie with the best "pull." Atlanta Jour
nal. Yes, If he advertises.
v We may need gum boots in Some lo
calities in Oregon, but we don't have
to wrestle with ice-Jams . and snow
plows. - ' '
What a great number of "good men"
will come to the surface this spring,
anxious to become devoted servants of
the people. -"
Mr. Grover Cleveland "stands no
show" in the south any more; ' It has
been discovered that he, too, lunched
with a negro.
Yes, the Russian government has al
ways been friendly to this country, But
this fact does not relieve our govern
ment of Its duty to remain strictly neu
tral. The Washington state . Republicans
are to hold their convention nearly six
months before the election. What a lot
of "awful ,'tired". politicians there will
be over there by next November!
A scientific observer predicts a late,,
cold spring. We wish it were possible
to refer to "the late -cold weather."
Chicago Tribune This is a sample of
eastern remarks that , have no . applica
bility on this coast.
With the mecury dropping (, 8 gg 10
degrees below sero every .night the ad
vent of spring seems far off. St. Paul
Pioneer Press. No wonder a good
many Mlnnesotans are coming to Ore
gon. Still another big mill in prospect on
the Peninsula waterfront. The Ports-mouth-St.
Johns region is going to be
come noted for large manufacturing es
tablishments. Every one that springs
Into existence helps to attract others.
All the counties of Oregon will doubt
less make an exhibit at the Lewis and
Clark exposition, and to decide which
makes the best showing, if that were
necessary, might be as difficult as to
decide which was the prettiest and most
perfect one among a lot of babies.
The Japs made a worse failure In
their blockading attempt than Hobson
did at Santiago, and that was not a
very brilliant success, except Jn putting
the old tub Merrlmac,. that had been
bought at a price several times its
value, out of sight.
The O. W. P. . A Ry. company has
done and Is doing a great development
work In the territory in which it Is op
erating. If it and the General Electrio
company serve the people who must
deal with them reasonably and well,
there will be no loud call for "public
ownership" in this particular.
Attorney Bentley of Baker City de
clares that he "will force District At
torney, Sam White to meet the issues
on the gambling question," whatever
that may mean, and the Herald predicts
"a sensation" in consequence. There,
as elsewhere, "the gambling question"
runs into local politics.
V088ZBT4 W01I9 CBXBXS.
Other Nations Waiting on the Motions
of England and Vrance.
From the Lincoln, Neb., Star.
What intensifies Interest in the war in
the far east is the fear that it may
eventuate in universal war. This tre
mendous possibility oppresses the mind
of the World. There is ho mistaking
the fact that nervous tension Is be
coming mors severe every day. It not
only proves, but enhances, the danger.
All the . great European powers are
complicated in one way or another with
the issue between Japan and Russia
England by treaty of alliance with the
former, and France in the same way
with the latter, each being expressly
bound to go to war for its ally, If the
ally be simultaneously attacked by two
powers, as in the case of England and
France. Every other European nation
is involved almost equally by Interest,
by sympathy, by race or Other affin
ities. Europe has two great classes of con
flicting interests which may come to
a general clash. For half a century and
more the Turkish question has been un
finished business, perpetually threaten
ing the peace of Europe. Only by ex
tremest caution has a general outbreak
been averted, simply because there was
no telling where, If once- started, it
would end.
In recent decades there has been a
feverish competition among the powers
for possession of, or domination In the
regions yet occupied by decadent or bar
barous peoples In Africa and Asia. Thn
Monroe- Doctrine, that is, the physical
power of the United States, has saved
the new world from this competition,
which in fact by narrowing the field
only intensifies It In Africa and Asia.
Most of the spectacular history of the
world the last few decades has turned
on this fierce International rivalry t
setae territory, resulttng in extreme bit
terness, animosity and conflict of in
terest. - This, In large part Is the basis of
England's alliance with Japan, and of
that of France with Russia. Let Eng
land and France Join in the war and no
human power can prevent its spread to
Germany, Austria and nearly every
other European nation of consequence.
It would rip up from the very bottom
all the compromises and delicate adjust
ments which have been made for de
cades as to the partition and absorption
of the larger part of Africa and much
of Asia. This stake would be nothing
less than a complete readjustment of the
world's balance of power, a new map
of the world, after a world-wide con
vulsion, the like of which has not been
seen for generations,
This portentous possibility suddenly
raised by the war' between Japan and
Russia, may welj. cause the world to
look on and forward with orofound anx
lety. t