St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1859-03-03

The policy Of this mode of disposins
of the public lands has been approved
by the country. 1t was found to work
admirably, and enable a man of small
means to acquire, by a small sun OF
money, us much land as would afford
him a permanent and reliable home
stead. We have seen great benefits
arising from this policy. When the
public lands were subdivided into
quarter sections, it was hardly ex-
pected, Judging from the condition OF
the country, the commercial wants,
and the pursuits Of the people, that
there was any great danger of the
public lands falling largely into the
hands of spectators. The system
worked extremely well, as it was
based upon the sound ideas of survey
ing the public lands in such q way
that the different subdivisions could
be easily found and their boundaries
distinctly ascertained, and of dispos-
ing them in quantities such as would
meet the wants of all the people.
But, like everything else human,
like everything else which emanates
from us, imperfect creatures, abuses
have grown up, and results have
arisen, which were not anticipated
So far from the land being open now
to actual settlers, the whole tendency
of things is to bring the Speculation
between the person desiring to be
CONF the actual settler, and compel
ling him to pay tribute to the former
without any merit whatever. This
state of things, which permits any
one to intervene between the Govern
ment and the settler is most pernic'
ious in it's tendency, and ought to be
prevented.
The public lands of our country that
are now offered for sale in the fertile
regions of Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas,
and Nebraska, are easily brought into
cultivation. The trouble Of improv-
ing them, and gathering a crop, is no
more, though they lay upon the prai-
ries wild, than it is to take a cultivat-
ed farm in the old States, and to reap
a crop from it.
| know something about other por-
tions of the country than the Far West.
I know something of Ohio and New
York, and the raising of a crop OF
wheat there. | know what it is to do
the same thing upon the prairies of
the West. And, sir, l a say that it
is as easy to put in a crop of wheat in
the unbroken prairie, as on the improv-
ed fields of those States. This shows
the great facility with which the wes-
tern land can be cultivated, improved,
and settled up; and it accounts, too,
for the rapid growth of that region in
population and wealth. Whenever a
tract of land is brought to market and
sold, Of course settlement ensues, and
the value of the lands increases.
Those, therefore, who purchase choice
portions, make quite a speculation of
them. To my own knowledge, in
three or four land Offices in the north
crn part of Iowa. when the land sales
are approaching, the people collect il
large numbers, beyond the accommo
dations which can be afforded by sue!
new places. They collect there foI
the purpose of speculation, to purchase
the public lands, and avail themselves
of the subsequent rise of prices. Con
tests took place at the last land sale
ut Usage, on the northern line of Iowa
the number of persons who collected
there was so large that the settlers
became alarmed, and took measures
with a view to prevent the sales tax
ing place. An angry contest arose
and at one time it was anticipated
that bloodshcd would result. Al
agreement was finally entered into
by which the settlers were permitted
to enter their locations to the extent
of half sections, or three hundred and
twenty acres. When these locations
were made, then the spectators rush
ed III and took the balance, and sweep
ing over, i'll some instances, entire
townships.
This system of subiecting the land
sales to the intervention Of the settler
and the Spectator has become SC
great, that in some western land of
fees arrangements are made under
which it is provided that, if a person
goes out to select a quarter section
and then to the land office to enter it,
lie is to be informed that the land is
already entered, the person or persons
in the town with whom the arrange
ment is made then paying the money
for it. 1t is in this way that the lands
of the Government are kept from the
settlers for the purposes of specula'
ton. 1t is unjust to the settlers, and
injurious to the true interests alike OF
the Government and the new States
and Territories. We ought to put q
stop to it now. Every reason of com.
mon prudence demands this at our
hands.
Of late years this specializing in
public lands has increased largely,
and is still increasing. 1t has operat.
ed to the injury of the various branch
es of industry. Money invested in
land that is not wanted for use and
cultivation is so much dead capital,
at least so far as the community is
concerned and in respect to the ten
dercy, at the same time, is to with
draw it from the legitimate channel of
trade which properly belongs to it, and
in which it could be protitably en-
ploycd. This is money invested for
speculation I; money withdrawn from
legitimate business, thus invested,
must, and does, necessarily create
embarrassmcnts to trade and COM
merce. 1t takes away the foundation
upon which trade is carried on, and
sinks it in this way, without use or
profit, for the time being. l appre-
bend that the embarrasslnents we are
now laboring under i'll the West, the
heavy depreciation which we have
suffered. all has been increased and
aggravated by this very thing of wild
speculation in land. l have seen its
baneful effects upon the industry Of
Iowa. | presume the gentleman from
Minnesota Mr.. Phelps, can testify to
its effects in his own State, where in
teIligent men have been employed, i'm