Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-05-22
From the Chicago Republican
The Public Domain.


Last week We published tho speech Of
Mr.. Julian. Of Indiana, giving some start.
ling facts aud lgures relative 10 the pub
lie domain. We now print the report OF
she House Committee on the Public Lands
making an additional erpose equally sig.
nihcant.
The more We investigate the subject the
more we are convinced that the benihcent
operation Of the pre.emptiou and home
stead system must speedily cease, unless
an abrupt and Immediate stop be put TO
the policy Of spoliation which OF late
years has made land sharks and mouopo
lizers the real recipients Of the benefits
that were intended to inure to actual set.
tiers. Al the rate this pernioious absorp.
ton Is going on all the choice acres that
remain Of the vast terrific orial possessions
Of the United States will, In a very few
years. pass into the hands Of few wealthy
individuals or corporations, TO be opened
up 70 improvement only when the prices
which cupidity and rapacity aihx shall be
realized. This would delay indefinitely
the development that would otherwise take
place speedily throughout immense acres
Of forest, plain. or wilderness. That con
stantly sugmenting stream Of immigration
10 our shores from the Old World must
quickly be checked when the right TO pur-
chase tue public lands, and create homes.
shall be limited 10 the extreme limits Of
civilization, or 10 undesirable localities.
The day, nay, the very hour, has arrived
when paramount public interest can no
longer paIter with the reckless spirit Of
land speculation, without retarding aud
dwarfug national growth.
The public domain comprises what re.
mains unsold or not donated Of tho ter
ri,ory defined by the treaty Of 1888, on
achieving our Independence Of Great
Britain; sessions made by New York, Vir-
ginia, Massachusetts,, Connecticut, and
Georgia. at various times during 1902 6;
acquisitions from European Powers. em-
bracing Louisiana, Florida and the Gads-
dvn purchase; and New Mexico and Cali
fornia. obtained by treaty with Mexico
These lands originally aggregated li5,-
00O 900 acres, exclusive Of watered COW
cred Up to Sept. 80. 81. there bad bees
disposed OF 1868 S62 46i acres, in various
ways, leaving a remainder Of ,06G, 1871.
.b36. For the six years ending Sept. 3,
1868 there we're disposed OF Al Dos OSl
acres more, leaving balance Of ,0i4,
62s.455 at that date. stiIled owned by
the Government This aggregaIe has
been largely diminished by the location
Of military bounty.land warrants, agri-
cultural college scrip, and other land scrip,
these new appropriations generally going
into the possession Of monopolisls, TO be
locked up IRON productive industry, until
exorbltant charges can be realized. I'm
der the proposed bill, granting bounty
land 10 Union soldiers In the late war Of
the rebellion, 33f 970, ,660 acres Of what
IA lett OF the public domain, or 10 excess
Of one third OF it, aud probably fully half
OF the arabic portion will be absorbed.
These assiguable warrants. 10 be 2l5,-
6J9 in number, and calling respectively
Tor l60. 80, or 40 acres each, will be thrown
upon the market. for sale, the intended
beneficiaries, in most instances, IL is 10 be
presumed, Judging by the past history Of
such bounties, preierring the money they
will fetch, to carving homes for them
selves out Of the government lands. Cap
u
ton OF the entry price per acre, perhaps
as low as the average cost TO the United
States Of acquiring title, making survey,
managing aud selling, when coin wss
circulating medium, amounted TO 2l 80
cents. The immense quantity of these
land warrants which would be seeking
buyers an one time, would naturally de-
preciate the selling rate, which might be
depressed to 20 cents, or less, per acre.
In that case the landsharks would reap n
harvest indeed, for the purchaser Of
warrant calling for 100 acres would be
able to secure that quantity Of the public
domain, subject to entry, for $40, while
the honest immigrant TO our shores from
the Old World. bringing with him his liz.
tie hoard Of gold aud silver. the avails of
years OF frugal, yet only partially com
pensated toll, would have to expend, in
locating farm OF the same size $500, or
five times as much as the rich man. Nor
would the mass Of the people, who might
desire to avail themselves Of the adyan-
tages of buying land warrant at the
ruling rate, with the intention Of reduc.
the land to occupancy, have a chance to
purchase, equal with the monopolist, for
Offices would be opened all over the coun.
try TO buy in these warrants, aud every
one parted with in such purchasing shops
who'd 20 to swell the number in the
hands of some wealthy individual or pow
erful corporation, intent on gobbling
broad acres of the public domain in one
solid aggregate.
With these facts in view, the Committee
rightly reported adversely to the bill sub
mitted to their examination. Its passage
would fail signally to realize the wishes or
needs of the soldiers. Its title might
truthfully altered So as to read, "A bill
to be entitled an act to pay twenty per
cent of certain land bounties to men who
have been in the military service Of the
United States, in the war of the rebellion,
and TO transfer into the pockets of certain
landsharks the remaining eighty per cent.
with a view to make the presumption aud
homestead laws imperative" Such would
be the effect OF enacting the measure, and
such might as we'll be its title.
The history of land warrants shows
that the intended bene6ciaries do not
want is bestowed. but, as general thing,
the money il will fetch. Bearing this In
mind, the Committee reported bill in
lieu, providing that the public lands, open
to entry, shall be absolutely free to our
honorahlv discharved soldiera and saa