Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-03-19

tom IN INV Il Separate the character OF the con.
tractor and the rayer of the debt and there IS an emo
to all economy Lot Congress RAISE money! an" '' ,'
STATE Lev: !aues spend II, ah'i y"n may p'a ''ee,i "
ac,uo,,v yau wil have oac Government, and t'la''
, tho NM, ,cuo,c from the people, the least Fespoi'
.;ble ia them. 10 raise money, and tweniy.s1 Go
,e,nmen,s TO spend il. If the Government Of the
United States can thus supply the States WIN
par, of their revenue, why not with the whoie
| and if with The whole, it may thus ultimately super
cede the taxing powers Of the States, or rather con-
centra,e and consolidate them all in ITSELF The ten
d.ncy of the Distribution law, aud OF the principles
on which it is defended is 10 destroy the balance oil
mower between the Federal and State Governments,
to give the former most undue influence over Inc
latter and TO consolidation OF power III Tue oofei
ment of the o. ).
| If the land fund can he distributed, 81 may any
other property fund.- as has been already shown
| If money can be distributed absolutely, it may be
distributed conditions. In fact, tins very law sets
the precedent of distribution of land, on condition
that il shall be applied TO works o. Internal Improve
meut What is the substantial difference between the
General Government constructing these Internal I'M
proyements and its giving the land or money TO Inc
States condition that they shall appropriate IL 10
them There is none, except that the States are
brourht under the influence OF the General Govern
m.ut and Congress does that indirectly which 1t has
no constitutional authority 10 do Directly In The same
wav Congress may distribute money to the States,
ON condition that it shall be applied 10 education,
10 emancipation, TO the payment OF the salaries
Of the State officers, Governors, Judges, members
of the Legislature, any other purpose and thus,
through this unlimited money power, indirectly con-
troll the ate Governments, absolutely and complete
w. Will it be said, that this would be nm abuse
Of the power OF appropriations and u.s. therefore, no fair
arrument against the power OF distribution: The re.
plv Isl that when power IS claimed SO doubtful
in its character, resting on so doubtful consruc-
ton Of the Constitution, as the unlimited power TO
dispose of the territory and other property OF the
United States, it is perfectly fair 10 try it, like all
other doubtful powers, by tracing it to its conse-
ouences and seeing what it may lead to- And Dis.
tribuon must be condemned when tired by this test
Not only does this law bring the States under the
undue influence Of the General Government but II
brings them under the direct and immediate ntiu-
ence of the President The President, 1t Is believed,
under the land laws of the United States advertses
and brings public lands into market Us last, or as
slowly, lie thinks proper BY withholding The lands
from market by Fastening the sales, the President
has it in his power if so disposed, TO increase or d.
minish the revenue of the States from this fund almost
at pleasure and thereby TO bring them INTO suoservien
cy TO his designs. This is an improper influence, TO
which the States ought not TO be subjected and do the
sworn enemies of Executive power, patronage and IN
huence, make objection to this:
The true mode of enforcing economy in the General
Government is TO hold fast to the Compromise act I'M
der which revenue is to be raised Than may be
necessary TO the wants of the Government administer
ed with economy instead of allowing this distribution
to 90 on in violation of it. The revenues of the Co
vernment for 1912, under existing laws, independent
of the proceeds of the public lands are estimated by
the Secretary of the Treasury at Sl9,2uo,UoO ADD 10
this the proceeds of the public lands 81 ,3O0OO)-and
we have revenue of $50, 700 900. If the sales of the
public land, as estimated by some, shall amount to
So 900 000 the will be S22 200, OO0-and should
mportatons increase, as they probably VIII, The reve-
nue. will be larger This surely ought to be revenue
enough for the u. S. with economical admnlstra-
ton; and Virginia ought to insist the repeal of the
distribution law; she ought TO insist that the proceeds
of the public lands shall 20 into the Treasury TO meet
the expenditures of the United States and that the Ia
riff shall not be raised violation of the Compromise
act.
1t is said that Congress has been constantly giving
away large tracts of the public lands to the TO the
preudice of the old States that this law makes prov
sion for the old States, giving them share in the lands
and settles for the land question: and 1t is there
FORE the interest of the old States to stand by It, 1t IS
true that Congress has heretofore made large dona-
tons of land to the States, and TO varons nstu
tons without constitutional authority, as Is believed,
and to the prejudice of the old States But this law
gives to the States, immense quantity OF land,
TO the prejudice of the old ones and gives them ten
per cent on the proceeds of the public lands, more than
it gives the old Sates-so that it establishes, by ge-
nera law and u system, that which was before but
an occasional donaton-a special law being passed Tor
each case And far from the land question being
finally settled and put rest by the distbutlon-epat
from IT. being law, repeaabe at the pleasure oil
Congress- there is provision in the law itself, which
manesly looks TO changes in the system-a provision
that this law is TO prejudice future applications for
graduating the prices Of the public lands for ceding
them to the States in which they lie.
Another argument urged in favor of the distribution
is that if this land question not finally settled the
new States will seze the public lands MIR. IL sald,
he knew of sufficient grounds for these injurious
I impuations the States. What foundation, he
asked, is there TO suppose they will act thus law.
lessly' How are they 10 seize the lands' BY force
| of legislation, or by mere brute force: Ii by the
latter, this Distribution law will be no obstacle II
they disposed to take them with strong hand, they
will do it despite of law. If by legislation, and they
have the in Congress to enact the laws, neither
will the Distribution law stand in their way. The same
which will give them the lands cam and VIII re-
peal the Distribution bill But the idea is chimerical
Look at the representation of the new States, COM
pare it with that of the old, and this apprehension
vanishes In House of Representatives in Congress,
according the of 1910, the ratio of one re-
preventative for every $4,000 of Federal numbers, and
not counting fractions there would be 232 members of
these the new States Of Alabama Mississippi, Lous
ana, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri and
Arkansas would have o. and the old States l6S, the
old States having majority OF l0i) members But
if Ohm be put down old State las she is undoubt
edly now with the old States in interest on the land
question, having but few public lands comparatively
within her limts,) the new States will have al men,
bers and the old States 1911, majority OF o0 men,
bers in the House. With such numerical majority,
and with law with right and justice their side, the
old States have nothing TO fear from the new States
on the land question And they will find continued
assurance OF security to their rights in the fact that as
new States added to the Union States which were
lew, becoming old, and their interests become den
tilted with Mr. H. said he had seen very extra
VACANT estimates of the amount of this disrbutable
fund In of the leading Wing papers he had seen
it estimated that Vrginias quota for 1912, would be
some four five hundred thousand dollars. Such est-
mates were grossly deceptive The sales of the Public
Lands for l342, are estimated generally, and by
Mr. Clay particularly, at 81 100000. In l6ll, they
were near that amount. From this must be deduct
ed the current cost of the land system These e1-
penses as Mr. Wright states from official information
from 1888 to 1897, exceeded million of dollars annu-
ally and amount probably in ordinary years to at least
five hundred thousand dollars. Deduct that sum for
the expenses of the land system, and We have million
of dollars left from which TO be deducted the 10 per
cent 10 the new States and the nett dstribuabe ba
lance is only S9O0,O00 of which Virginia would re-
ceve about SGG 600 And s it for the sake of this Pl-
tfu fund.- (Which she will be compelled to refund TO the
oco olloc-