I 



THE UNRESERVED TIMBER LAND 233 



Perhaps, after all, it is not so important to speculate upon what 



might have happened, as it is to note what really did happen. After 



l^bBeveral days of debate, the bill was referred to the Committee on 



^^^nPublic Lands, and it never emerged from that committee.*^ 



I 



THE SUSPENSION OF TIMBER AND STONE ENTRIES IN 1906 



II 



I 



For several years, there seemed to be very little interest in the 

 imber and Stone Act. In 1905, Lacey, who had changed his mind in 

 regard to this act, brought in a bill for its repeal, but the bill was 

 never reported.*^ In 1906, the action of Roosevelt and Hitchcock in 

 suspending the issue of all patents under this and other public land 

 laws,*^ immediately aroused a spirited discussion in Congress. In 

 January, 1907, Senator Carter of Montana introduced a resolution 

 into the Senate to compel the issue of patents in all cases where there 

 was no evidence of fraud,*^ and somewhat later made a long and stir- 

 ring speech against the "harsh, cruel and oppressive" order of the 

 secretary, and against Hitchcock personally. "For the last six years 

 sensational reports of evil doings in the public land states have been 

 emanating from the Interior Department from day to day, so sweep- 

 ing in their scope as to create the impression in other sections that 

 the entire western population is, and has been, engaged in a veritable 

 aturnalia of criminal conspiracy, fraud, and perjury, over the whole 

 road surface of the public domain," said Carter. "Since 1901 insidi- 

 ous interviews and boisterous proclamations have passed from the 

 Interior Department to the public press, reflecting upon all those 

 seeking title to the public domain. The words 'grafters,' 'land grab- 

 bers,' 'conspirators,' 'looters of the public domain,' and like terms 

 have become a part of the vernacular of the secretary's office in refer- 

 ring to public land entrymen of all kinds. The routine work of the 

 Land Service has been pillaged in quest of items for publication, re- 

 flecting on individuals and communities. The slightest irregularity 

 savoring of scandal or possible sensation has been diligently ex- 

 ploited. . . . Everyone was indicted and no acquittals were ever 



40 Cong. Bee, Apr. 12, 1904, 4672. 

 " H. R. 3019; 59 Cong. 1 sess. 



42 S. Doc. 141 ; 59 Cong. 2 sess. 



43 Cong. Rec, Jan. 9, 1907, 804. 



