The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-06-22

cost according the estimate OF this year.
Sls98I5 for the Land Office at Washington and S34264o
for the other land offices and surveying depar tmeusn
all S532,bl5, exclusive of California
The land system began its operation upon the
land IN the Territories alone amounting to 243990B21
Acquired from Virginia, New
York, Massachusetts,, aud
leSucut,...'''.'',.'''.'.''' losooo,zz9
From Georga.................. 5s.s9s,522
From North and South Car
olna.. na................... 26,432,0O0
And has extended TO those since acquired,
amounting ls5sss,74l
Acquired from France, 1904 75l, l,36a5ol
From Spain, l8l9........... 37,93l 800
From Mexico, I847............ 376,094,720
Making in 400 1886, ,562
within the Territories and thirteen States of the Union
1t had in 1902 eleven employees throughout the Union
1t has in the Territories and thirteen land States 1876
federal officers operating upon interests purely local and
of the highest Importance to the citizens of the Satel
controlled by and in direct correspondence with the gem
eral Office at Washington.
Under its administration there had been surveyed up
June 90 1853, 3362025s7 acrcsoaving then unsuryey
ed 1913 lTT,975 acres.
The expenses of all the branches the
increased in the same time from S37370s0 in 1902 TO
about S50000,000 in 1853.
The population of the United States at the time of the
systems organization, in 1900, 5,305925 in 1885,
23,l9iS76
THE BILL THAT HAVE OFFERED AS A SUBSTITUTE TO THE
ONE BEFORE THE HOUSE, SYSTEM
HAS BECOME USwIELDY; AND FROM DEvMopMENT, USAs-
TclpA1Ep AT INSTITUTION, FAILED TO ACCOMPLISH THE
PURPOSES CREATION.
1t proposes take nothing from the present land system
which experience has shown to be valuable; but freeing it
of membranes to make permanent its three great i'm
provcnlents and render them effective.
1t does not propose to sell give away the public lands
to the States within which they lie but simply to transfer
to them their administration conditions highly just and
equitable to all the Statesnsuring greater attention to
local interests, contravening mooted constitutional
point simplifying the system, curtang executive patron
age and connng its operation as originally TO the Ter
ritories
The amount public lands within the States Excluding
California which has ll3682436 acres the administra
ton OF which will be conferred upon the States is 1884,
7Ssl8 the amount of public land in the Territories
upon which the present system win continue operate is
s64,o69,l70 acres. See table Al
Mr. Chairman the vast importance of this public do
main to the future interests of the country cannot be
preciaed While in Great Britain proper equal dstr
button Of land would give little two to each
individual, in the United States it would give los
acres This is the great pecuiarity Of country. 1t is
security and magnificent basis upon which to
future greatness We should rot hasten destroy it.
operation of natural causes aided by permanent laws
HAVE SAID THE SUBSTITUTE OFFER IS DIRECTED AGAINST
VICE OF ORGANIZATION AND NOT OF PRINCIPLE will be
better understood perhaps say the evils of our present
land system result chiefly from its organiza on These
evils will be best considered in connexion with the
dies proposed.
WHAT SUBSTITUTE
Provisions Of The biz
1t provides for the cesson of the public lands in the
States of Alabama Mississippi Louisiana, Arkansas Flor
ida, Missouri Illinois Indiana Ohio Michigan Iowa. Wis
consin and California to these States respectively
tain conditions
The said States are to pay into the United States
ury 70 per cenum the gross amount Of their sales OF
such lands
That the minimum price, hyed by law, shall re-
main unchanged until the seth day Of june 1855 but
that period the price be reduced by the States respect
ely according to the following scale All lands heretofore
public SALE remaining unsod ten years or
upward preceding the 3oh day Of June 1885, aforesaid may
be reduced by said States to price not less than dollar
and all lands that have been offered public
dina
the said 3oth day Of june 1885, thereafter be reduced
lands that may have been offered At public sale and
ing uns1d twenty years or upward preceding the said sob
price not less than nifty cents and all lands that
have been offered at public SALE and remaining unsod
twenty five upward preceding the said 30th day
June, 1885, thereafter be reduced by said
price not less than twenty cents per lands
that may have been offered public sale, and remaining
sold thirty years upward preceding the said both day
June 1885, shall be ceded immediately the States In which
said lands situated Prorded, That all lands which shall
remain unsod after having been offered public sale for
years and which do not undcr the above provisions
shall be subject TO the provisions Of prcempon
and disposition aforesaid at the respective periods OF en az
teen twenty, twenty-five and thirty years after said sale
commencing from the expiration OF ten years after the
had been offered at public sale"
The lands 10 be subject the existing legal subd
visions reseryng for each township and fractional town.
ship the sixteenth section for the OF schools
Lands sold et public auction to be subject entry for
cash only, according TO a fixed graduation.
Acts of Congress in force at the time of the passage
this act to remain unchanged unless modified by this act
Lands after private entry may be sold at the option oil
the purchaser in quarterquarer sections This dispos
ton of lands to the States shall be in full OF the veper-
cent fund not already accrued any Staesad State to
be liable for all the expense Of sales and management Of
said lands, and for extinguishing Indian titles
On failure TO comply with the provisions Of this act the
cesson of lands TO any delinquent State to be void and
all grants titles thereafter mad any such State be
also void.
After every reduction in the price Of the lands by the
States provided for the State legislatures may grant to
the settlers such lands rights OF prc-empon last for
twelve months at such reduced rates lands taken by
settlers at tho end OF that time may be entered by any
other persons until the next reduction takes place when
not previously purchased they shall be subject TO the right
OF pre-empon for twelve months and on from time
time, as said reductions take place.
The President TO close the land Offices surveyors office
&c. in any State included 10 this act that shall provi
Of said land officers and surveyors expire period
beyond six months after the time for the law take effect
That from the passage of this act the States accepting
the transfer under the offered shall be relieved from
AL restrictions tax any land by the authority subject to
e sale thereof and all maps papers, books and accounts
relative TO said lands now in the General Land Office al
washington shall be subject to the order of the executives
OF the accepting States
rms was the bill asorginaly introduced by Mr. Speaker
boyd. 10 this have added two amendments. The frs
amendment proyso TO the first section and Is designed
authorize The States TO grant alternate sections Of land
\ Tor railroad purposes. II is as follows;
'Pcorided, That the State may ON the payment Of In,
price liked by this bill for the land along any railroad line
sei ior the grant of alternate sections of land ts
such railroad by dposng Of the remaining sections along
the llne az double the price fixed by this blli
This amendment embraces tho question Of granting al
t HnN