The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-09-07
For the Union.
The Public L.ands-No. q.


We have said that the public lands are treasure to the
people Of the United States more valuable than silver
and gold If the capital they represent was IN money,
il would soon be dssipated but the lands brought INTO
cultivation will prove neverfailing OF wealth
In commercial point OF view, these lands are Of te
worth to the United States government Put down their
gross proceeds at three millions per annum perma-
annuity Of three millions represents capital OF hlty
millions at per cent? but deduct expenses, and the
revenue from the public lands Is not more than two mil
q sn h q wS mns
But the from our public lands i not perma.
nen annuity il is terminabe annuity Every year part
OF the fund from which it is drawn is exhausted. On
commercial principles, the whole of the public lands are
not worth than twenty to twenty hve millions OF
dolarsless. perhaps, than the amount for which they
have been pledged TO the public creditors.
AS commercial speculation, The public lands have
proved losing concern TO the United States government
Take, first, the money paid for Louisiana and Florida
other Indian add the expense OF Indian agencies.
PRESENTS and annuites to the Indians, and the cost OF
removing the Indians west OF the Mississippi; add The
cost OF the with Mexico add the expenses OF pub
lie surveys; add losses by defauting Tecevers add
expenses of the land offices the distant States and ex-
penses of the General Land Oae at Washington then
add compound interest all these outlaws (or this is
the true principle Of calculation in commercial enterprises
and il will be found that the public lands have cost the
United States five dollars for every dollar they yield to the
Still they are WORTH in political point OF view, (not in
commercially millions than they have cost Sup
pose England and France had at Their doors such an OUT
would then be prosperous and happy spite OF their no.
bily systems their church establishments, their public
debls and all the accumulated corruptons oil ages
More valuable than silver and gold, our public lands
ought TO be boarded with than silver and
gold. No member OF Congress ought to be willing to
TO appropriate of public land, except for
object Tor which he would be willing to Appropriate one,
perhaps two dollars In money out oil the treasury. AS
stated in former article, compensation due to the
States for the exemption OF the public lands within
their borders from taxaton and this compensation Is best
made in the form OF grants of land for school purposes
and others Tor aid in making roads and canals But with
these, a general rule land appropriations ought to
cease.
The grand point the management OF these lands not
to bring them into market faster than the actual demand
for cultivation requires Used in this way they wiil
prove resource The government and the people for
hundred years to Outbreaks and instructions,
similar to that of the German taors in New York, will
occasionally occur but they proceed to any
great extent 30 loEg have In our pubic lands an
outlet for surplus population.
Great evils attend too dense population, but one too
sparse Is not without It's inconveniences Inc iouowng
of the advantages OF having population too
much scattered
l. Sovenv modes of cultivation, by which the natural
fertility OF the soil ~ wasted.
Premature destruction OF timber and other natural
products which may be said to form the natural capital OF
the country.
have that division of the first and that concentration OF
the last which are essential 10 the development OF our
natural resources.
a. The expenses OF intercourse are increased greatly
Three miles OF road and canal are required and three
hours employed in passing ihem where, under
other system. only one would be necessary.
5. The difficulty OF supporting suitable schools and
suitable places OF worship is increased greatly.
@. The difficulty OF obtaining suitable medical aid Is
also Increased greatly In some OF the new settlements,
as am told, much does the mileage of ,hepbysician,
added 10 his fees, amount to- that half the product OF the
farm has to go 10 pay the doctors bills.
Orderly government is with difficulty maintained in
sparse settlements. When there is no magistrate al
hand TO AFFORD protection, must defend hlmsclf and
this too, often leads to attacking others Ia The Nor
mon outbreaks we have evidence of the kind oil feeling
which this state OF society is too likely to produce
10 lew parts of our country population may be too
dense, but IN most parts II - too The people OF
the United States would be richer, happier, better of in
every respect If they occupied but one-ha the
miles which their settlements now extend. Any
who will take the pains out the various dis
advantages that consequent having population
too much scattered will lind that this declaration is not
too strong
II manufactures do not flourish as some desire they
should is not for want OF tariffs but Tor want OF that
concentration OF capital and that division OF labor which
can exist in dense population only, and which
senal to the successful prosecution OF manufacturing
dustry.
II the farmer in parts OF the country does not re-
ceive suitable compensation for bis toll, II is because
the producers and the OF agricultural products
scattered wide apart that the expenses OF trans
portation eat up all the profits of production.
Seeing, then, that every principle OF sound policy
qures Mat nothing should be done scatter popula
ton still more, how account for the progress OF
certpn measures Ii can be accounted for only the
supposton that the attention OF Congress has been
crossed by certain questions involving the harmony, n
the stability, of the Union. that they could give
due consideration TO anything else
One oil these projects give ten million acres TO
the States, told and new) The State OF New Jersey
contains only 43s4 $40 consequently the project
is to give away twice much land TO be found in
the State OF New Jersey.
The sales of land in each year. from 1910 ls47,
as follows
Acre..