The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-05-22

10 speak the Engllsn language, ne eonuWes 10 save
enough from his earnng 10 purchase tract OF land
ample for moderate farm The next year there appear
upon u neat cabin, and modelaie-szed, wellcult
waited field, and about the house few head OF stock
In half dozen years he has purchased adjoining
tract OF land, enlarged his buildings and his fields has
numerous herds upon the praes, and is man OF sub
staniia wealth lie 10 useful member OF society II he
brought with him ideas OF socialism, which is often the
case, he has by this time abandoned them unfit for
new country where wealth Is within the reach OF any
man who is not ashamed OF honest toll, Indeed, your
German Is true practical philosopher. His sentmenaliy
never stands IN the way OF his thrift As soon he has
obtained and stocked his farm he begins TO lay by
Cash iof lhe purchase oil lew negroes. welcome the
German emigfant lie is Industrious frugal intelligent,
conservative, and attached to republican government
Ihe German does not require need this grauy from
government He is naturally pioneer, and relies with
confidence and success upon his industry and per
severance There are very few foreigners OF other ma
tons who could be made agricullurlsls by donations OF
lands Neither any necessity for this system OF
argesses The bounty land bill 10 soldiers, of last
session OF Congress, threw upon the market more than
oO000,0o0 OF acres OF public domain. This scrip is
now selling for about fifty cents per acre SO that for
near the sum OF S25 may purchase himself farm
OF forty acres OF land and II Is not in the power OF egis
aton TO enrich man by donations who has not industry
and energy sufficient TO procure this amount OF means
he would remain poor II you gave him farm at every
presidential election You cannot enrich such persons
unless You provide them with guardians well farms
And il will be seen that if this bill passes the present
Congress it will be renewed every four years If this
system IS once begun, i will fasten itself permanently
upon the legislation OF the country.
But IS argued that Congress has made grants of alter
sections TO railroads for the purpose of settling the
country and increasing the value of The remaining public
domain and that this will have the eject
think the analogy falls first because the alternate
tons on the roads were doubled in price, which not the
provision OF This bill and, second, because increase in
value under this measure is not direct.
The government should manage its public domain
wise and liberal proprietor would conduct his private
tate And while deny The power OF Congress 10 give
these lands away, admit the right TO legislate in such
manner to Increase their value and augment the
arising from the sale of the lands. speak of egis-
hat anT
which that would be remote incident in the settlement
OF the country, and the increase OF ills populations wealth.
and commerce take the ground that if by grant OF
portion OF the public domain, as alternate sections for
the construction OF railroads through large bodies Of pub
lie domain the value Of that which remains to the gov.
eminent is worth than the whole would be without
such Improvement Congress not only has the power
It is the purchase OF an improvement, which enhances the
value OF the public domain ourfod wherever il is
structed 1t does not rest accurately speaking on the
footing OF donation. Ii is exchange of land for
equivalent advantages, which operates directly in
the augmentation OF the value of the land and
the derivable from that source. Suppose
the government were the owner of square in the
city OF New York, and The corporation, or ndivd-
uas, upon condition OF grant OF one-haf the loi,
should offer to place edices upon il which would render
the half still remaining TO the government four times
valuable as the whole without the structure. no one
would doubt either the power OF the government or the
pIopreiy of making the grant II would be purchase
of increased value and availability in property by means
of an Improvement II is direct result Such, also,
domain. Viewed in the light OF pecuniary arrange
ment only, il is advantageous 10 the government; much
more so than sale at the minimum price, could that al
ways be effected, which we know cannot be done with
large bodies OF land remote from market, and destitute
OF The means OF transportation for the products OF agr
cultural labor. Not only alternate sections reserved
oil equal value 10 the whole without the road, but its
construction brings rapidly into market the whole
try for many miles along It's line II is supposed by
that Congress will be importuned 10 reduce the price of
the alternate sections which, by the provisions OF the
railroad bills held al 80 so per acre; but the effect
will be rather immediate sale the road is
located, and before application Congress can be
or for cultivation will bring more than 81 so per
situated in the immediate vicinity OF railroad. The road
will cause the entry OF the poor land along lis line,
which would not otherwise fnd purchasers for age.
The making oil these grants 10 roads is therefore,
wise proprietary act They will have further benef-
cal effect The alternate sections will be reserved from
the location OF bounty-land warrants, which are now,
few cents per acre, going into the hands OF specu
latos and unless these reservations are made there
will not for years be anything like the former amount oil
revenue received into the easuryfrom the sales OF the
public lands These warrants will cover the most valu.
able lands as fast as they are brought into market for
The benefit OF the spectators, and not oil the soldier.
Again: these works are projected by States and corpo
ratons for general public utility, well for private
gain IL would be :nanilesy unjust for large land.
holder as the United States 10 stand by and these
roads constructed by which It's property would be greatly
increased in value, without contributing any aid to the
OF the work. No private citizen who was
large landowner, could pursue course as Liberal as
this without subjecung himself 10 just public indgna
ton and the government, let me say would be without
the motive OF the citizen proprietor for fast the
land rendered desirable by The effect OF the improve
men il would be entered by individuals companies for
purposes OF gain and speculation. The government would
benefit by its parsimony only to very limited extent
Besides, IN many instances ii these grants not made
the road will not be constructed and in consequence,
large bodies OF public domain will remain unsold that
otherwise would be entered and settled up by producing
population. That truly great man, Mr.. Calhoun, urged
that the government should make liberal grants in aid OF
these Objects whenever 1t would advance its interests
prnn Ftutnr h,f at,rhn "a lapa. Iatsnp
II the homestead bill were amended TO donate
only alternate sections, and double the price OF those
reserved to the government would not be OF equal ad
vantage TO the treasury FIRST because would not settle
The county fast the railroad and, second because
the road would enhance the demand for the land much
homestead law, II enacted Neither would the result be
80 beneficial TO the settler the road. II farmer
mote from MARKET II Is much important him TO be
in the vicinity oil railroad than 10 have a neighbor on
The adjoining section. But the truth is the road would
Increase settlement much rapidly and render il far
more dense, than the other measure. Nothing tends so
much TO the rapid settlement OF a country as easy and
products Of labor In this respect, the railroad is, as
have already endeavoed TO show, more beneficial 10
The emgrant than the donation OF the land would be with
out the road, because il enables him. for few dollars
reach the public land, and TO avail himself Of The in
creased value OF labor, which he will always meet with
IN new country. Nor does The relative importance OF
hc railroad system stop here The construction of these
which is compelled 10 emigrae without capital, which
will not only enable him to purchase bis land, but give
him time TO examine and choose an eligible situation /
effect of this additional for labor will be 10
Increase generally the demand as well as its remunera.
on IN the States where these works are in progress.