Wabash express. [volume] (Terre-Haute, Vigo Co[unty], Ind.) 1841-186?, 1860-02-22

WHOLE NO. GIL.
Land for the Poor Man.

LAnu tnt AOta
The question as to the proper disposi-
ton of the public lands, is exciting at the
present time much attention. No party,
before the organization of the presen; Re-
publican party, ever advocated the pro-
priety OF giving homes-of one hundred
and sixty acres each-to actual settlers,
oot Of the public domain The Republi
can party has taken decided grounds in
relation to this matter, and it does strike
US that its position must meet the apPro-
baton of the great mass Of the people Of
this entire valley. There is now, belong
ing to this General Government, one thou
sand millions Of acres of land. Much Of
Il Of unsurpassed richness. nd slmost all
of il capable Of being made comfortable,
independent homes for the industrious Ia
horer The sale of the public lands has
never yielded hardly any revenue to the
Government, for after the Surveyors were
paid. and other officers who lad the man
agement Of bringing them into market, the
price received was about exhausted. The
Government. therefore, derives but little
advantage from the sale of these lands.
The property Of this General Govern
ment belongs to the people-it is the peo-
pie collectively that make the Government.
As the people increase in wealth. so does
the Government. When the people are all
rich, the Government is in the same con-
dltiou. just in the same ratio that the
people prosper, prosper all the diversified
interests of Free Government.
No man who has lived for tins in the
West but knows that there are thousands
and tens Of thousands of good and true
men--good, honest, hard working men
scattered sll around US, and who have
young families growing up around them
who have never yet been able TO own
bome-neyer been able to look out upon
the green earth and feel aud know that
part of it was theirs. They have been
unfortunate in sccumulating property, the
necessary comforts of their families requir
ing all the means derived from their daily
toll. Would it not be better for all, the
Government. the individual, his family,
and all the rest OF as, il from the large
amount Of idle public lands be was invi
ted to 60 and select ore hundred and sixty
acres, improve it, cultivate it. own it and
be hnppyf We think it would. and the
Republican party, by its votes in the Con-
gress of the United States. says it would.
During the session Of Congress which ter
minated on the 4th of March, 1889. "A
Bill TO SECURE HoMEsrEAps TO ACTUAL
SETTLERS ON THE Public DOMAIN" was in.
troduced by the committee on Public
Lands. That bill contained the following
clause:
Be il enacted by the Senate and House ot
Representatives. of the United States Of Amer
iea in Congress assembled, That any person
who is the head OF family, or who has
arrived at the age of twenty lone years. and
is citizen Of the United States, or who
shall have filed his intention to become
such, as required by the naturalization
laws Of the United States, shall, from and
after the passage OF LuIs az, - SDtItIru ~
enter, free of cost, one quarter section OF
vacant aud unappropriated public lands
which may, at the time application is
made, be subject to private entry, at 81 d
per acre, or a quantity equal thereto, to
be located in a body, in conformity with
the legal subdivisions of the public lands
and afterthe same shall have been surveyed
A long debate sprung Up on this bill
and " hen it came to a vote it received ths
support of every single Republican mem
Der Of Congress out one, ard II was opposed
by every single member from the Southern
States but three, and of the Northern mem
bers connected with the Democratic party
trenfy nine voted for the bill and 81.
against it. Thus, of the entire Democrat
ic vote in the House, large majority wa
against the bill but the more importan
fact is, that the Southern wing Of the part.
was almost unanimously opposed to it
ind it is this Southern wing in the Dem
ocratic party which controls in the part,
councils.
Why, it may be asked, did the South 5
unanimously oppose giving "hOmes to tn
homeless 2" Why, because it knew tha
.ifthe States which in the future are to b
organized out of this vast public domai
are to be occupied in quarter sections. the
will be occupied by farmers who will b
the absolute masters OF them, and larg
plantations can not be formed upon whic
slave labor can be made profitable.
We present only this outline of argr
msnt at this time, and ask our readers |
tbink Of this matter, and ere long We wi
have much more to say on this subject.
IT, Enllouino tie Rasnlrt ion