The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-03-13

canal debt This loan has been effected and the
transfer made without any advertisement Trans
ierrne the canal and lands to trustees is not the
advertisement Of sale intended by the act OF 1887
The trustees are required 10 sell the lands in sub
stantislly the same manner they would have been
sold had the transfer not been made. At the
time the settlers went npon the lands and made
their imProvements,th they had the RICH, TO appear
at the time and place the lands might be adyertis-
ed for sale, and, by offering more than any other
person for the land occupied by them, become pur-
chasers. public sale, such as is customary for
the disposal Of all government lands, and such as
is provided for in the act of 1913, the only act
10y which the interest and estate Of the settlers
under permits can be- terminated, unless by a vol
unlary surrender. The object of requiring SET
Tiers TO surrender the, lands occupied hy them to
the agent Of the state whenever they should be
advertised Tor sale being that the state should be
enabled to put the purchaser into immediate pos
session; 1t Is manifest, the transfer 10 the trus.
tees Is not an advertisement of sale which will
determine their estates They are no, Ia be.
come cul!iyatnrs Of the soil-ihey can merely ex-
ercIse such powers aud perform such acts as was
usual fer the state to do.
The law which provides for the transfer to the
trustees, considers the settlers under permits as
the orHcrS Of the improvements made by them ;
they were there in the actual possession Of the
lands upon which such Improvements were
made, ana under anl by virtue Of their contracts
with the state, they have the right to purchase
the lands SO occupied by them a. the aPpraisc-
ment to be made.
The construction Of the law Of lSt3, tina, the
settlers are to abandon their possessions before the
apraisement of the land shall be made, does not
appear TO be sound, either technically or accor.
ding 10 common reason or honesty. The state
never intended 10 be- and, it is apprehenled, has
no, made itself, the instrument Of bringing SO
srievous an injury upon this class Of our cl-
items.
The correspondent, says, the settlers under
permits would suffer no wrong, and no peculiar
ha'dshIps would be imposed upon them, by be-
ing turned gu, Of possession, because the law OF
! 1913 provides that, when Improvements were
made, on canal lands, previous to Dec. /. 1912
the owner Of such Improvements shall be entitled
to purchase the lands at an appraisement to be
made withou, reference to such improvements.
/ The settlers upon the lands in elmo-, every in.
stance have expended years of labor and all the
means they could command in making their im
provements II compelled to abandon them un-
iii the lands should come in market, they are de.
prived of a home. and the fruits Of their labor
and money cSpended'-,hcy are literally stripped
Of their all. with no power Of rcgainlng then
rights until The canal shall be completed and the
Iands appraised In the mean lime their improve.
men,s will. go to ruin and they are to he con,ol,
ed with the pltful privilege extended 10 them by
| the statute, Of purchasing the lands upon which
their Improvements once were, at the appraised
| valve.