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Show PROBE THE LAND GRABS. State Senator Bcnner X. Smith has brought to an issue an important question, ques-tion, concerning which moderately well-informed well-informed men in this State have been quietly but intensely expressing their opinions for some months, and even for sorao years past. Senator Smith's resolution for tho appointment of a special committee on Slate lands, authorized to inquire into certain specific rhurges and (generally) (gen-erally) the administration of the Stale laud office, is timely. time-ly. The prompt nnd unanimous adoption of the resolution by the State Senate demonstrates a determination to take either tho scandals or the evil practices by the throat and annihilate one or tho other. If the State Land board and its omployocs have been the objects of a malicious and persecuting libel, thj facts should bo known to all citizens of Utah, in order that this important im-portant body may once more repose, and justly repose,' in tho confidence of the commonwealth. On the other hand, if the statements which havo been current cur-rent iu this community for some time past to tho effect that favoritism, unfairness, un-fairness, and practices closely approaching' ap-proaching' illegality have prevailed, shall .be substantiated by tho work of this special committee, a general cleaning clean-ing up must bo ordered nnd effected, in the public interest. It whs unfair-thai the charges should continue year after year without either legislative or executive notice. Senator Smith has conferred a genuine service upon Utah by forcing the mat-tor mat-tor to a definite issue. The Tribune trusts that the committee commit-tee will make an cxhnuBtive investigation investiga-tion covering more than tho period beginning be-ginning with January 1, 190G, within which brief time the apecinl improprieties improprie-ties are charged; bocauso these specific offenses, if they wcro committed, are but echoes of . accusations of more serious se-rious and more extensive fraudulent practices. The lands granted to Utah by the Federal Government constitute a perpetual per-petual heritage for tho people of this commonwealth. A statesmanlike con-iervation con-iervation of their area and values will mako most of the institutions of tho commonwealth self-supporting iu tho nut distant futnrc. Frauds upon them constitute a double treachery. Their wastage is not only a present wrong, but n robbory in perpetuity of tho State and itp beneficiary institutions. No reasonable rule enn be too rigid which guards this imperial g'iCt'of land from encroachment by pirates upon tho public weal. Lot tho committee mako its work coinploto, so that whatever wrong exists shall ,bo redressed, so that whatever violations of law havo boon committed shall be punished, and so that sccuritj' without further investigation, investi-gation, scandal, or reproach may be attained for all time. There havo been may schemes among land officials in other parts of tho country coun-try for personal enrichment at the cost of tho rights of individual citizens seeking, under tho generous lnnd laws of tho Nation, to so-euro so-euro homesteads, desert lands or timber claims. For instance, one form of the conspiracy which was in vogue in parts of tho Pacific coast region, and ( which was cruelly successful, was as follows: When an applicant, lawfully entitled en-titled to enter land would appear at the offico and offer to file hiB claim, ho was told that the plats had not yet arrived from Washington, or that the survey had not been completed, complet-ed, or that some other circumstance prevented pre-vented acceptance of his application at that time. Then representatives of tho conspirators, guided by the valuablo information afforded by the legitimato applicant, wcro sent out to examine the particular locality described. If tho property mot tho approval of their schemes, -when tho original would-be entryman would again nppcar he would bo advised that in tho meantime the plats had arrived, or that tho other former for-mer pretended difficulty had been removed; but thnt some other individual had already filed upon the land desired. Thus tho work of seeking out good lands was performed by innocent citizens for the personal benefit of tho conspirators; and the conspirators, possessing tho additional ad-ditional value of inside official information, infor-mation, would send (as fast as tho lands wore selected by legitimate applicants) appli-cants) their emissaries out to socuro the choicest tracts of the Government domain. Thero are rumors that in more than one instance this and oilier evil policies poli-cies hnvo found practical demonstration in the disposition of Utah lands. In view of the many plots to which land-grabbers have resorted, it may bo deemed incumbent upon the committee of investigation to mako a most searching search-ing inquiry into the entire course of the State Land board or boards, and their employees, since the date of admission. |