Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1860-06-30
The two Homestead Bills.


The two houses of Congress have
had a second conference upon their
disagreement upon the homestead bills,
and could not agree. This fact was
reported to the 14th, and without di-
vision, the House adhered to their own
| bill.
The defeat of the measure, for the
present session, may now be consider
ed as certain, and it is proper to inquire
fwho is responsible for it. There were
two homestead bills: the first passed
the House and went to the Senate
In that body different bill had been
prepared by Mr.. Johnson, of Tennes-
see, which was substituted for the
House bill, and sent back to that BODY
as an amendment. The House refused
to agree to this, and have insisted up
on their own bill.
/. The House bill provides that all
government lands shall be withdrawn
and consecrated to homesteads for the
people. The Senate bill continues to
leave the public domain open to spec
ulators.
2. The House bill includes all per-
sons over 81 years old, and all who
have declared their intentions to be-
come citizens. The Senate bill con-
fines. the privilege to heads of families,
cutting off young men under 81 years
of age, and cid bachelors, and all for
eigners who have not completed their
naturalization.
3. The House bill includes in it's ben
efits all pre-emptors now upon the pub
| lie lands. The Senate bill excludes
them, but allows them two years to
buy their lands at the government
/ price; they cannot take the quater sec
ton which they now occupy, but must
abandon it or pay for it.
4. The Honse bill aplies to all land
subject to presumption. The Senate
bill is confined to lands subject to pr.
vate entry only, which are only those
remaining after a public land sale, and
the SPECTATORS have had their grab.
5. The House bill gives the land tc
the settler for ten dollars for quartz,
section. The Senate bill requires for.
ty dollars for a quarter section.
6. The Senate bill compells the pres
ldent to expose the land for sale in two
years after the survey. The House bill
does not, and the House have passed q
separate bill preventing sales under ten
years after survey.
7. The House bill provides that the
alternate sections Of the reserved rail
road lands, now held at $3.50. shall be
open to homestead entry in quantities
Of eighty acres to one person.
1t can be seen from the above at a
glance, which is the best bill, and which
was intended to benefit the poor man.
Under the House bill the great bane OF
the west, the accumulation of land in
the hands of spectators, is entirely
prevented; the benefit of the law is ap-
piled to the greatest possible number
OF people and makes no odious distinc-
ton; the poor settler who has for years,
amid encouragement, cultivated his
quarter section, is allowed the privile-
ges Of the law ; the whole public domain
is open to the settler, and no prefer
ence IS given to the wealthy specula-
tor; and ample time is given him (ten
years. to make the selection before the
land is sold. Under the Senate bill all
this is entirely the reverse, and so strin-
gent and iIiberal are the provisions
that it is believed that it was proposed
for the express purpose of being reject
ed by the Republicans Of the House
THE practical benefit Of tho Rnnub1;
can measure to the west, and to the
landless people Of the whole country,
would have been immense. What the
Republicans propose is a manly and
beneficent measure which gives freely
what it proposes, and is not a mean,
stingy, hollow proposition, pretending
to donate when it gives nothing but a
husk. We invite laboring men to ex-
anime the two bills, and who are their
friends, and who are those who legis-
late for the benefit of land grabbers
| and snaculators -.Zn0eer;IZo Go,ofto