St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1859-10-06
RIP VAN WlNKLE AND THE HOMESTEAD

RIP VAN WINKLE AND THE HOMESTEAD
The Sank Rapids Fronhermun has been
taking nap of a year or two, and last week,
waking up suddenly, is evidently badly bewil-
dered at the the present state OF affairs
Uncle JERRAM1An RUSSELL gets on his
spectacles; and, first, informs us that he has
arrived Then, tells US that donating lands to
an Agricultural College is contrary to Demo-
cratic principles, but giving them for "School
purposes" is all 0. K. Which, being interpret
ted, signifies that Colleges arn't Schools, and
that the Minnesota State University isn't
College by something considerable.
Next, he tells the company that when the
Missourians went over and voted in Kansas,
they violated the Kansas Act! Astonishing!
Who would have believed it? There must be
Telegraph to Sank Rapids There must -
else, where could they get news in advance Of
the Mails? He says that the Democratic
Governors of Kansas did not vindicatc the
right Of suffrage there. Wonder how Friend
SHELLEY will like that?
| Next, it appears that the Pioneer didn't
consult Uncle JERRY before disputing the
paternity Of the Homestead Bill. lie is willing
to own that Mr.. Grow is the Author; but as
it is necessary to concede so much, he con-
cludes that, as nothing good could come out
Of Nazareth, the Homestead, being q Republic
can measure, must Of course be worthless
Mr.. Grow has made it the one great object
of his life to secure to every head Of a family,
who wished it, a Home on our Public Lands,
FREE OF COST! He believed, and argue
and urged that government has no more right
to speculate in land, than to sell sunshine
that it holds the Public Domain in trust for the
Actual Settler, and that its only business is to
see that every one is undisturbed in appropri-
ating his proper portion.
But he is a Practical Man and no Visionary.
lie does not stand still and do nothing, wait
ing until the time comes when every body will
agree with him. He labors to do all he can
could not get any thing like majority Of
Congress to vote for giving ell the Public Lands
to Actual Settlers. NOT ONE DEMOCRAT
would agree to such a measure, and only q
part Of the Republicans; but ALL, save two,
Of the Republicans and few Democrats were
agreed to let the Settlers have Free Homes on
on such Lands as are subject to Private Entry.
This would save large tracts from tho Specu-
lator, and establish tho principle. 1t would
give Free Homes to thousands, and open
the eyes of the Nation to the true policy of
} inviting Emigrants from abroad, by giving
them Homes, when Mr.. Grow thought that his
full plan of stopping the sale Of all the lands
and giving them FREE to Settlers, could be
successfully brought forward.
Giving the lands subject to Private Entry.
did not hinder any mans right to pre-emp
any other land just as they could do before
, and, to keep the pre-emptor from being hur-
: ried, he brought forward Bill to give him
TEN YEARS to pay for his Home.
The Great Aim of his life in Congress has
been to get Homes for the Homeless, on the
best terms he could; and all his efforts have
been defeated by Democratic votes. Now,
t, THESE SAME DEMOCRATS have the impu-
dence to tell the People they have defended
then-that they have voted down all Mr..
GROW 8 Plans Of serving them, because these
, Plans were not sufficiently favorable. Their
ideas of serving the People are so very
:. grandiloquent and magnanimous that their
feelings have quite overcome them, 80 that
they havn't been able to do anything but
defeat every other PERSONS Plan for serving
them. They have voted down alt Mr.. Grows
Bills, because, by-and-by, directly, a little
while ago, when they get time, they. are
: going for to do something astonishing!' They
are, ID ''>'~' 80 - Ill.,. ~s"f
a}9E :. a%:-',2 ~ - ''''s''1. 49, j4IHa
g Live, horse, and you'll get grass!" II u
|, The Democratic Party boast that they have
J, been in power 80 years-that they are the
friendsIof the Homestead, but the only way
they have shown that friendship, has been BY
VOTING DOWN Republican Homestead Bills.
Their ,''feelin's" have overpowered them 20
they could not get up oa,to m;t them, and