The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-06-01

landS Let facts speak for themselves
In 1891 this SYSTEM with an agency TO supern-
tend il, was established. The agency consisted Of
one subaern officer Of the army, who was selected
because Ne was on pay snshow. Since ls2li up
to l9i5, 80 superintendents, surveyors, and other
officers enumerated have been employed, besides
long list Of employees not enumerated And this
whole machinery OF federal patronage was COM
meneed, has progressed, and now exists, in the
opinion OF many, without any express authority OIL
law. IL is fingus-growth Of the War Department.
and furnishes but another example Of the prpneness
Of power 10 extension, extravaganza, and corrup-
ton. This agency cost the government from 1921
to 1885, 0,616 Bs, s23 232 90 Of which Is charged
10 contingencies, and the balance probably fobbed
as salaries. From the last mentioned date to l64l
the agency was suspended In lS4l il was renewed,
and from that date 10 the 30th of November, Ie45 il
cost the government slT,797 81; makingi in al,
sos, 474 so.
What, now, has been the return Of this outlay A
net revenue of 1875 "a per anhum, which, i'll
charged with defalcauois, the exhaustion Of the
lands Of ore, OF timber, and the injury done by su.
perhcial diggngs, would, no doubt be greatly over
balanced
But this Is only a Pssrtissl view Of the evils
sought to be tenieded. Strife has been ensendered
between individuals and litigation and hard feeling
between communities and the government itself
In 1888 an act was passed organizing the Terrific
ry Of Iowa; also another establishing two land Of
fees within the limits OF the Territory and authorik
ing the President 10 except from sale such lands
4" for military or oAsr purposei,h as he might think
proper. The President only reserved school lands,
leaving All others, at least by implication TO be sold
The officers charged with the sale Of the lands, ac-
cQrdingy proceeded TO sell all the lands within their
respective districts without regard TO the previous
mineral reservations. This brought about con-
ct Of claims between individual purchasers and the
government and hsncs the nunerods law suits now
pending In the courts Of the northwest between these
two parties. Lately these suits numbered 81 and had
then cost the government in attorneys and court fees
81 pa 65 million ofacres ofthese lands at the price
Of 81 IS per would bring 81 Isl, 900, the an
nual interest upon which at per cent would be
SIS, 900, whilst during the years l54l and 1912, il
appears by the report Of the Secretary Of War
dated 10th February, l643 the whole rent received
only amounted to ii 900. For ls4a and 1874 the
expense Of the agency was $780, IL, whilst the
rent for the same period is estimated at 81 $50 28-
(See Com. Rep. TO the present Congress.) In
financial point Of view, therefore, the whole sys-
TEN has resulted in failure.
The policy lie equally Unjust 10 the States in which
II exists. Take for example the case Of Illinois
BY the compact between that State and the general
government the primary disposal Of the soil is Sc
cured 10 the latter, the public lands are exempted
from taxation before sale, and for Ave years after
whilst the trhing compensation secured TO the State
for these great advantages is a small quantity Of
bSioOi ANU, anu pIOHniSc Ol D per cent. OF the
net proceeds Of the sales Of the public lands
The government enjoys the advantages stipulated in
It's favor, but the State 10 denied Of the most valua
bic Of those pledged to her. Since 1921 3Sg 100
acres Of land have been withheld from market
within her limits by the government These lands
at 81 IS per acre, assuming that all Of them would
have been sold under different policy would have
brought s4s6, $50, S per cent Of her net proceeds
Of which would have been something less
than s24 O0O and the taxes upon the lands
at the average rate imposed by the State
during the same period would have amounted
for twenty years past TO the additional sum Of
sl36, 636 80; making in all the sum Of sl60, $50 go
Of which the State has been wrongfuly deprived by
the mistaken and greedy policy OF the government
IL is reproach to the government to persist in so
unwarantable and injurious policy. This sum
would efficiently assist that State in her noble and
exemplary efforts TO pay her heavy liabilities.
In persIsting in this policy, the government has
violated the resolution OF 1885, inviting the cession
Of the northwestern territory, and the ordinance of
1887, organizing that territory, by which it soemny
pledged itself in affect to dispose of the public lsnd
them TO be settled and formed into dia.
tinct republican States What constitutional autho-
rity has the government to make itself permanent
general landholder3 What right has it TO hold lands
except to dispose Of them for purposes of settlement
and cultivation? What right to become a lead or
land trader or specuatorl What right has il to do
any Of those things any more than to embark eur
foreign or domestic trade, in manufactures, or any
other private enterprise or businessi
BY perssting in Il, Il has received the feudual re-
lation Of landlord and tenant or rather of lord and
vassa with its appendages OF rent and dependence
not between the feudal chief and vileD but between
the powerful government and the humble citizen.
Look, for example, to the county Of Joe Davess,
in Illinois, inhabited by $4,000 people, all of whom
are either tenants, or denied the opportunity of
securing a freehold. With the exception Of the
town of Galena, there is not perhaps in the whole
county freehold. The same evil exists in Wis
consln and Iowa. Tenancy may be an appropriate
feature Of arstocracy, but the cheap lands are the
bulwark of repubcanism. Government mo
nopoy, if possible, is more odious than individual
monopoly Rome permitted few patrcian fami-
lies to monopolize her domain lands, and in the time
OF the Gracch the consequence that these lands
were crowded with degrade slaves and her free pop
ulation had become well nigh extinct. The Gracchi
sought to remedy the evil, and were murdered, and
upon that event followed the Social war, the san
culinary prescriptions Of Marius and Syla, the bat
ties of Pharsalia, and Philippi, which last COM
pleted the overthrow of the republic and established
upon its runs the gorgeous empire of the Caesars
The government here, not citizens is the great
land monopolist, and all know the vast and almost
absolute power it is thus enabled to exert upon the
public mind and policy Of the new States.
lit is the desire Of the government to develop the
value Of these lands and to insure a steady and in
creased supply of lead for public and private use, il
can better be accomplished by individual than by
government enterprise and ownership. The policy
of the government should be uniform. Having Or
dered the mineral lands into market in Missouri,
why should it not do the same in Illinois and the
two Territories Shall different measures of Justice
be dealt out to different States and communities of
the same Commonwealth Such discrimination,
unjust and invdous, would be reproach to gov
eminent possessing equal laws and even-handed
justice.
Mr.. RATHBUN briefly replied, considering
what, he said was misconception Of the gentleman
from Illinois Of his Mr.. R.'sl position. The gen.
tleman seemed to consider him opposed to the sale
Of these lands but he was in favor of il, and ex-
pressed HIMSELF but for different reasons from those
which actuated the gentleman.
The gentleman stated that he (Mr. R. always
objected to what was right, and supported what was
wrong. Mr.. r. acknowledged that he did once vote
wrong; but at the gentleman's Mr.. McC.'sl So
lictation, for an armory out West at Paducah, or
some other place, but he had no other vote
to regret, and he meant to vote right on
this bill 1t was true that representatives from New
York had opposed this bill; but Mr.. r. repudated
idea IF their heinz tod by moi