Nebraska advertiser., 1867-01-24

ing their homesleads should thus be tie
up from actual settlement. for the bensfi
Of corporation which contemplates thl
construction Of railroad through a sec
iion Of coutr7 far removed from theI
homes. believe I express the sen1i
ment of every citizen in the Territor
when say that all feel deep jaferes
IN the early Construction Of the Burlinq
Too and Missouri railroad westwafl
! through the Fieb counties south Of Platte
J Every good citizen, however remote hi
place Of residence fern the line Of thi
proposed road, would rejoice in its con
sIruction bat / am sure that no one
not even those whose interests are direct
ly ihvolved-wiIl undertake TO defenc
the policy Of retiring lands ia Richard
son, Stanton, and Dakota counties 10 aie
in its construction. Il would be Infinitely
better for the Cover nment, and ali par,
ties interested, If Congress would make
an appropriation, and pay in money lh'
value Of lhe lands il cannot give them OF
the line Of their road on accoui of previcu
location by selllers. than 10 permit lands
in other sections of the Territory to b
taken for this purpose cut Of the hands o.
the Homestead settlers, who are coming
BY thousands to locate upon them. Il
making their selections, under these mum
iicent grants. all companies should be
confined 10 the lands contiguous 10 theii
respective lines Of road and no lands
should be retired from the market, fol
long periods of time, to await the con.
struc;ion Of roads upon which the work
has been nowhere commented.
do not doubt that the evil effects of
this baleful system Of land grants were
properly Represented by you in memorials
to Congress, some remedies for present
evils might be applied; or, at all events,
some barrlers placed against this rapid
absorption Of the public domain in The
future by railroad mOnopolisss and land
spectators. We need every available
acre in this Territory, not already given
away by the government FOR the ccn-
strnttion of railroands and agricultural
colleges ia other States, for our own
State enduwments. and for the indusiri-
Ous poor, who, from all sections Of the
Union, and from foreign countries, are
coping 70 secure homesieads amongst
us
am
U4son R e41 ihe s4bid con-
slrnclicn oI which has excited the wonder
and admiration of the world, could now
be induced 10 exchange the lands obtain
ed under its grants for the bonds Of the
Government, at a fair price. that the
whole country would be benefited By the
transaction provided that every acre thus
regained by the Government should be
held exclusively for location under a
homestead law, which should require
every settler 10 culiiyale at least twenty
acres Of timber on his homestead, the
preservation of which for five years
should be one of the essential conditions
of obtaining the fee sim5le of bis land.
A Board of Immigration was duly or
gaIized, in accordance with the provis-
ions of the act passed at your last session,
for the encouragement of immigration to
our Territory. On account of the alb
sence OF the Chief Executive, who is, eg
O6Scio. member and the presiding officer
of the Board, Il will be impossible TO give
youa full history of its transactions.
am able, howevr, to inform you that COM
meDdable progress. in this Important work
has already been made: pamphlets have
been published in both the English and
German languages, through which in
formation concerning the healthfulness of
our climate, the character of our soil its
the mineral resources Of the
Territory, as well as It's superior fGcali.
lies Of communist ton by river navigation. |
and BY railroads already constructed, or
in process of construction, have been |
widely disseminated. This Board, under
the law regulating its duties, is required |
to make an annual report of its proceed
ings to the Legislative Assembly before
the tenth day Of its sessioa that report
viii furnish you all the Information re-
quired for an intelligent Consideration OF
lhis most imporEns subject. Ii any ppln-
ion. honerer, ibis law shood Be e
,nsrasd 81 IS anlhsFl las fhs a.ase
sf al least four mis-. one cf whom, e
sast. should be a0Io so speak lids SLY tic /
German language, and one the Scandi- /
navian. Z Liberal Appropriation should /
then be made for the constant employ
ment Of these agents during the present
year, one Of whom should be required 10
travel through the Western States, anoth-
err 10 be permanently stationed at New
York, and the remaining two to visit
Hose foreign countries forom which we
already have the largest representations
10 our population. With such a system |
as this and with an appropriation such |
as we could well afford to make, on ac-
count Of the importance Of The service.
and the prosperous condition Of the terri |
Iorial finances. 4 very large immigration
would certainly be induced. AL that is
necessary is 10 make known to those
seeking homes q The West the rare IN
duceaenis presented By Nebraska F; and,
while other Staies are employing similar
agencies. and G aiming, lhereby, vast ac-
cessjons 10 their populations, il is a palpa- /
bic derelicsioE Of duty for Us to neglect
he presentation Of competing Influences
a behalf Of our own Territory. True,
our population has increased unpreced- +
snledly during the past year but, d.
.hongh this has been the case. the want
Il Iaboregs IN the various branches Of |
nechaicaI industry, and IN agriealsBFal /
employmenls. has SO greatly exceeded /
lhe supply, thar labor has commanded /
more liberal rewards here thar bavo BEEN |
-. -. "A II ..s-a s,lE,aK rnnlin., oe he en.l,