VM
The Commoner.
ROVBMBBR 27, 1903.
if
Christmas Presents For All
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SrJSI
Christmas time Is spending time. Jolly old St. Nick can success
fully manipulate the key to our purses when all other attempts fall.
Let us suggest the advisability of buyingllyour Christmas presents
from the largest and most reliable stock In the world selling-direct to
the user and saving you the Jobbers', dealers' and agents' profits.
Our prices are always the same the lowest. Wo cannot tako
advantage of the liberal Christmas spirit and advance our prices aa
some do, for our regular catalogue Hgure3 must stand for all seasons.
We can send you everything you want in one shipment, saving
you endless effort and delay in buying from several sources.
By purchasing your entire Christmas needs from U3 wo believo
you will save almost one-third of the regular Christmas prices you
would pay elsewhere.
It is easy to order from our 1128-page Catalogue No. 72 with fine
pictures of the articles you desire, and you can do it all in pne evening
with scarcely any effort.
Once your order Is mailed you need not think of it again until you
get the goods, for wo will take care of It promptly and carefully,
guaranteeing safe delivery and perfect satisfaction.
Your neighbors who know will tell you it is a pleasure to, deal
with us.
We mention hero a few suggestions, all taken from our Catalogue
No. 72.
Thousands of other desirable presents for every member of tho
family, from the hired man down to the baby,
If you have never seen our olg catalogue you have missed a great treat. It's never too late to begin,
however. Fill in the coupon and mail to us to-day. Don't wait until it is too late to get your goods
before Christmas. Although thecatalogue costs us almost one dollar each, we make no charge for it,
only asking you to send 15 cents to bear part of the postage expense of sending jt.
Montgomery Ward Co.,
For Men:
Psir of M opera.
Smoking Jadctt.
Smcklne spt.
Half dozen drees
ahlrls.
Half dozen colored
shirts.
Silk umbrella.
Pair of cloves.
Dozen Initial handker
chiefs. Morris chair.
For Women:
A pretty apron.
Dress pattern.
Wrap or bonnet.
Toilet set.
Manicure set.
Sowing machine.
Piano or organ.
Hat.
Handkerchiefs.
Pair of fine shoes.
Slurring cabinet.
Leather couch.'
Shaving set.
Neckties.
Match box.
Suit caso.
Watch charm or fob.
Half dozen pairs half
hose.
Pair of suspenders.
Pocket or bill book.
A good warm cap.
Heavy overcoat.
Muffler,
Books.
Leather purse.
A new carpet or rug.
Piece of cut glass.
Tableware.
Pair of classes.
Warm mittens.
Medicine cabinet.
Easy chair.
Bible.
Cut glass flower vase.
Jewelry.
Fleece lined mlttenx.
Warm overshoes.
Magnifying glass for
reading purposes.
A pair cf boots.
Buckskin mittens.
Sweater.
Banjo or guitar.
Box cf collars.
Meerschaum pipe.
Box of cigars.
Shot gun.
Cigar Jar.
Hunting Jacket.
Silverware.
Fine clock.
Bronze parlor orna-
ment.
Set furs.
Up-to-date suit or
Jacket.
New stove.
Dining table.
Box stationery.
Talldnc machine.
Pair of cloves.
Cut this slip out snd send It with 15c In stamps Today.
Montgomery Ward & Co., Chicago. ttc
Enclosod find 15. cents for partial postage on catalogue No. 2 e
as advertised In Lincoln Commoner.
Name.
44
Michigan Ave., Madison Washington Sts., Chicago
32 years World's Headquarters for Everything.
(lie auro and wrlto vory plainly.)
Postofflco
Route No. County.
J5tata
GIGANTIC LAND FRAUDS
" Under date of Washington, D. C,
October 23; thd correspondent for the
Chicago Record-Herald sent to his
newspaper the following:
According to the admissions of offi
cials of the department of the inter
ior, made for the first time today, tho
investigation of the public land scan
dal, now going on in the states of tho
Paoific coast, involves the most tre
mendous of all government "grafts"
and cause the "hot air" affair in the
postoffice department to pale into in
significance. Persistent inquiry has developed the
information that present investiga
tion, which has been going on over
four months, is entirely independent
of the Indian land scandal, and in
volves money-making transactions to
the extent of between $15,000,000 and
?20,000,000 and collusion between or
ganized "grafters" and state and fed
eral authorities in the matter of land
allottments in somo fifty-four forest
reserves, which cover altogether 60,
175,705 acres of land.
Secretary Hitchcock alone knows
the full extent of the frauds now un
der investigation, and he says that he
will divulge nothing until tho whole
inquiry has been completed under his
direction.
This reticence by the head of the
department has made the spread of
all sorts of alarming rumors possible,
in which the names of men in high
public places have already been men
tioned here, and in the states where
the investigation is going on. Ru
mors have come from the west that
five United States senators have al
ready been reached by the Investiga
tors and are seriously involved in the
Bcandal. In fact, one story had. it
that official teports already in the
hands of Sefcretary Hitchcock had al
ready named these senators. The most
positive denial, however, is made at
the interior department that -any sena
tors are so far involved.
Thomas Ryan, v the first assistant
secretary,' stated, today that no such
teport had beerireceived at tho de
partment, and William A. Hichards,
commissioner of the general land of
fice, made the same statement. Secre
tary Hitchock was not at the depart
ment this afternoon and it was an
nounced that he was confined to his
residence by a slight illness.
While it is generally accepted that
no United States senator is being in
volved, it is, not denied at the de
partment that some western represen
tatives have alreadv been found to be
suspiciously connected with these land
scandals, and before the inquiry is
finished some railroads and their con
nection with the great forest reserves
may receive unpleasant mention.
The present investigation on tho
Pacific slope covers the administra
tion of Binger Hermann, former com
missioner of the general land office
and a new member of the house from
Oregon. Five years ago the forest re-r
eerves of, the United States govern
ment embraced only 18,000,000 acres.
The annual report of the 'commission
er for the year 1902 shows that there
are fifty-four reserves, including 60,
175,765 acres, showing that over 42,
000,000 acres were proclaimed during
Mr. Hermann's term of office. Since
this report was made a few moo re
serves have been added, bringing tho
present acreage up to about 62,000,000.
The method of tho "graft" has been
very simple, and In large part con
sists of advance information by means
of -collusion with federal authorities
in Washington and the land offices in
the states concerned.
If the investigation should disclose
that $20,000,000 had been made out of
the irregularities it would not mean
that tho government had lost this
sum but it would mean thatpersons
in and out of the government service
had made this money through collu
sion and fllegal transactions.
Whenever a forest reserve is pro
claimed by the president, according to
the general land law of congress, all
persons having land allotments there
on are entitled to receive from the
government a similar amount of ter
ritory outside of the forest reserves,
-or on what is known as the good land.
Tho forest reserves are wild territory
and tho land sells at $1.25 per acre.
The land outside averages between ?5
and $6 an acre, so that a man finding
himself in possession of territory
within tho forest reserves, after tho
boundary has been laid, Is so much
better off when ho receives his allot
ment" outside, according to law.
Tho belief of the Interior depart
ment officials that there wero many
men in tho west locating on the ter
ritory which they had reason to be
lieve would soon be proclaimed re
serves for the purpose of exchanging
for better land led to the present in
vestigation. Only preliminary reports,
informal in character, have been re
ceived as yet, but It is said enough
has been shown to lead some of the
officials of tho department to believe
there has been a regular organization
at work to make fortunes out of ir
regularities of this character.
Reserve proclamations by tho pres
iuont are made on petitions of the
residents of the regions, and only fol
low investigation by the forestry bu
reau of the agricultural department, a
report from the geological survey and
final decision by the general land of
fice of the interior department. Po
litical influence and congressional
pressure are brought to bear to have
certain reserves proclaimed.
Tho United States senators whom
rumor connects in an indefinite way
with the present land frauds are said
to have used such pressure wiile at
the same time lending their political
power to. the protection' of land offi
cials who have been charged with
transactions in the scandal.
One congressman has been found to
have a more direct interest. Less than
a year ago he was among the petition
ers for a certain forest reserve on
the Pacific slope, and on investigation
it was found that he had many land
allotments in the territory. He not
only petitioned for tho proclamation,
but used his influence as a represen
tative to this end.- The final decision
of the land office was not given. Tho
reserve was not established. The con
gressman has since-been disposing of
his land as best. ho could, and is said
lo have suffered losa.
In each township on a forest re
serve the stato In which It is located
is allowed two of the thirty-fllx flec
tions, or one-eighteenth of tho whole.
Thus tho various states would have
at their disposal nearly 4,000,000
acres. Collusion with stato authori
ties by tho land schemers, who have
obtained Iho state sections for tho
purpose of exchanging, is also charged.
The alleged Illegal transaction on
tho part of government officials in
clude advance Information of great
value to tho "land sharks" In locat
ing within tho proposed reserves,
yielding to "Influence" In reporting
on the advisability of reserves peti
tioned for and establishing the boun
dary line to Include territory in which,
tho "sliarks" have already located.
RHEUMATISM
Cured by
flagic Foot Drafts
FREE on Approval TRY THEM.
Don't tnko medicine mbnt mcdicJno Isn't fit
to take but let g send you 'dh approval,
without a.ccnt In advance, a calr of Draita to b
ivxrn ion the soles of Vour feet. If they help you
thru Kend. as one dollar. If they don't, send ua
nothing. They cure nine out of ten coses on
an average prooauiy uieyu euro you. You
certainly ought not to hesitate to risk a stamp
or a pohlal when we arc willing to risk the
drafts. 60.000 persons wore Majdc Foot Drafts
Inst year, and we arc still sending them on ap
proval to every sufferer we can hear of.
1MNIUH
y dim
- r 'A ffv'r M
3HrMBHRHji
The draft cure rheumatism In every part of
the system by drawing out and absorbing the
poisonous acids through the tender sole of the
feet. They act as e genjlc counter-lrrJtantalso,
stimulating the entire system. Don't suffer but
scud to the Magic oqI Draft Co., XC28 Oliver
IJIdg., Jackson, Mich., for a pair of Magic Foot
Draitsas soon as the media will bring them.
They will ure you to stay cured. Ask for our
booklet on rheumatism, which goes with every
pair free.
;:t
