Evening star., 1869-12-09
Report OF the Commissioner OF the
General Land Once

Ihis report equals any Of its predecessors in
careful elaboration and compass OF topical in
terest. The text embraces thirty-ive separate
heads, with the usual appendix OF statistical
tables. IL is accompanied by maps of the differ
ent public land States and Territories, and by
connected nap Of the territory of the whole
country. showing the progress Of the public sur
Neys, also, 5y mercatorial chart Of the globe.
executed in Style ot unsurpassed excellence,
wih tables OF valuable statistics illustrating the
geographical, industrial, and commercial rela-
tors OF the United States.
The operations OF the public land system
during the fiscal year ending June CO. lsts. we're
lrOsecUted IN al The public land States and
territories except Wyoming and Alaska. Sur
Teys haVe been completed in Ohio, Indiana,
lillEois, Michigan, Missouri, Alabama. Missis-
Sippl, Wisconsin, and Iowa. A sketch OF the
surveying system Is given, including the pro-
visions OF Law and the practice under them.
The entire area OF the pablic domain is
i.a5i, i,sJS, ,iG0 acres, OF which. during the past
year, ~, 81, $50 acres we're SURVEYED. involving
4o,Si9 iineal miles of survey. The entire area
surveyed is Jos, j. acres, leas ing unsuryeyed
l,S2O, ,iS0, ,645 acres.
The disposal of public lands IN seventy-three
local land offices during the year embraced
s,tto,l5l-Ss acres, icing neaSiy a million acres
more than last year. The cash receipts were
S4A2,S ,So6.2s, an increase of -, $40 .160.3S over
last year. The principles OF the public land
papers.
Some minor details of the rre-emption laws
require revision, but the general features are
stead policy is the worthy supplement- Of the
prc-emption. great increase OF appropriation
OF public lands by actual settlers under these
two classes OF laws is shown. IL il estimated that
by direct and indirect operations OF the land
syste m during the last fiscal year, 60 600 small
farms were added TO the freeholds of our Re-
public, about double the entire number of land
owners i'm England, as reported in the decen-
NAL census of 1861.
We hage applied the principle of pre-emption
to town sites, and have given special facilities to
a krl-hl hp m 10 lQrafS lssrr
and urban rropretors are estimated at i've and
half millions, or one i'm eight of our people.
This landed yeomanry exercises a far greater
power in maintaining public order than do the
five and half millions Of European soldiery ON
the peace establishment, propping the unstable
equilibrium Of feudal society.
The liberslity Of our naturalization laws has
drawn an Immense immigration from Europe;
about 10000 600 OF our population are due to
this cause. These have largely availed them
selves of the kindly provisions OF our land laws,
absorbing an immense amount of public land.
1t is estimated that foreign immigrants have
brought to this country since 1890 800 900 ,O00
gold value. Grants OF land have been made TO
officers and soldiers of the different wars of the
Republic, thus testifying the nations gratitude
to its defenders.
Our immense grants in aid of popular educa-
ton are yindicated a social necessity, the only
means ofsecuring such a diffusion of intelligence
as will serve as basis of Tree institutions. The
Continental ordinance of 11sj set apart section
10 OF each township for the support of common
schools; this donation has been repeated on the
admission of every new State in the Union. and
since the admission Of Oregon the amount Of
land has been duplicated. section 81, Well a.
section IL, being granted for the support of
schools.
Large grants have been made for the support
OF universities and colleges. A special donation
for each Senator and Representative they were
entitled to under the apportonment of 1860.
Ihe aggregate amount OF land finally accTuing
under all these grants viii he not less than
.9,126, ,st2 acres. The disposition OF these grants
by several OF tine States is gwen i'm the report.
The policy Of grants for internal improve
ments, and especially Tor railways, is considered
at length, and a sketch of the railway system OF
the United States is given at large. Its history
pas Sy cn the s aS .es list s
had to await the slow accumulation of the ne
cessary capital for its construction I'd. Its sec
by the donation OF public lands otherwise un,
saleable, il created its own endowment by the
values IL impaired TO the soil. Sd. Its definite
stage west of the Mississippi, i'm which il appears
as a forerunner Of civilization, gathering
strength TO project itself great wilderness
tracts TO reach our Pacific States. At the close
of the present year there will be in operation
81 ,OC0 miles Of road. The tonnage Of 1853 is es-
timated at over 100 900 ,OOO representing a cash
value of sl2,0oo, ,OO0, 600. At the close of this
century We will have not less than 100 900 miles
in operation, with tonnage beyond present es-
innate.
The enormous expansion of railways was one
of our national necessities. The liberal policy
ment was the groundwork of this prosperous
movement, but the Commissioner thinks the \
time for such extraordinary assistance has
passed, and recommends its withdrawal.
The report concludes with a review of the |
commercial position Of the United States, ira
cling line of commerce around the earth be-
tween the fortieth and fiftieth parallels, to
which all the local currents of trade will con-
verge. The completion OF our Pacific rail-
road, with the increasing advantage of railway
communication over every other. il making this |
country the highway OF the worlds commerce.
The changes in the nationalities of Asia and the
gradual incorporation of progressive ideas indi-
cate the approach Of the definite DEVELOPMENT |
of civilization. In the midst of these oriental
movements an increasing power on the Pacific |
makes rupture of peace for mere purposes of |
conquest thing Of increasing hazard. Inas-
much as we have no ambition of territorial ex-
pansion in Asia, the Oriental nations lean upon
our moral support against the rapacity Of Eu-
rope. This will result first in commercial as
tendency of the United States, and ultimately
in perfect comfy of nations.
Our ability to compass these splendid results
springs from our liberal landed policy. Its in |
fnence is especially marked. The growth of |
our resources is startling The gold value of |
personal and real property is $50 600 600 900.
Our gross annual earnings amount toS 900 ,0O0,
600, of which not less than ten per cent, or
= 900 900 0C0, are surplus for reinyestment. Our
civilization being industrial i'm its chief charac-
teristic, looks to a broader sweep OF original |
production, land hence our accumulation OF |
wealth will be more rapid than that of any |