Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-09-02
LAND MONOPOLY.

The Chicago Tribune heartily endorses the
smallest plank, yet OF the most important, in
the Republican platform of this State. Like the
tariff question the land subsidy is the most diff
6cult of comprehension, there being so many in
terests identified, and at stake, and with the nl-
tied discussion as yet of these questions, the
mass of the voting population of this country is
lily prepared to discerne ths right from tie
wrong. As the mass Of community manly on
tain knowledge of the affairs of the government
by reading and thinking, We endeavor to place
before our readers the opinions Of the leading
journals, as well ns giving our own views, Oh
the leading political issues of the day. Many
questions are frequently carried in all deibera-
tive bodies which, with jndcious discussion
to bring out the merits and denerits, would have
been the reverse. As there are some new ideas
contained in the Tibme's remarks, we give them
in full below:
The Ohio Republican State Convention of
Ohio adopts a sound plank in its platform, which
we hope to see borrowed by all the other State
Conventions. 1t is as follows:
"Resolred, That the policy Of granting subs
dies of public lands to corporations and monopo-
lies, is uuqualifedly c ndemned."
The time has long since passed when railroads
envdrp phfsSS TSdaf .IPe,. SSF5stni.s ~. dJPRHtnip
or nursing at the government expense. On the
contrary, they are the most impe riOus and ap-
graudizing Of the moneyed institutions Of the
country, and the one most prone to influence
Legislatures by corrupt means to extend them
privileges which are in conflict with the interests
Of the masses Of tue people. There have doubt
less been instances where grants Of land or loans
of credit have caused the building Of railroads
few years earlier than they would otherwise have
been built, and SO have opened up new terrtO-
rss to settlement and production. In such
cases these roads have been the indispensable
means of producing wealth, a share of which
they are permitted to IN 'npolize. They have
given value to the lands which have been grant
ed thsm. But of late the projects of road build
ing are the mere incidents to gigantic plan for
monOpOlizing land enough for several States,
and holding IL out of the market until il has ris
en- in valge. thus impeding the settlement which
the grpn, was designed tO hasten. The full
measure of tho evils Of this system must be more
plainly felt as the regions in which these gran:s
have been made come to be settled up. Then
the cry will come up from hundreds of thou
sands Of settlers looking for homesteads, or for
land whose price bears some relation to the prof.
itthey can make by cultivating it, that the en-.
tire available uncultivated lands 0f the nation
has been surrendered to few grasping mon0p-
-Olies Such disposition of our public lands
will then be seen ~ have rubbed the people of
every dollar that has been given to the mOnOpO-
lies, and to have been a hindrance rather than
aid to the country. bet every convention in
the land adopt such plain and pointed resou-
tions on this question that the next Congress
will assemble fully instructed, and will not dare
to grant single acre on any pretense. Let the
land be reserved for those who will till il.