The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-08-27

that protection had reduced the price
of manufactured articles to consumers.
Mr.. Browning thought the Congress
should fairly meet the issue. The
people wished to know the position of
the National Labor Union on the tariff
question.
Mr.. Richie thought this Congress
could not agree upon the question.
and it had better be let alone. He
thought besides that the question had
been answered already in "a different
way.
Mr.. Lavine favored protection, and
said that the people in his part of the
State had all lady slgni6ed their ap-
prevail of it by their votes. He wanted
the Congress to take decided ground.
Mr.. Redstone favored the resolution
as it stands.
Mr.. Flanagan was opposed to the
resolution in toto, and offered the fol-
lowing as substitute.
Resolved, That we denounce as unjust
and oppressive the present high tariff As
discrimination in favor of capital as against
labor, and we demand lie repeal and the
substitution Of another based upon revenue
principles alone. That the tariff on the
necessaries Of life is an outrage On the in
dustrial interests Of our country, and We
demand the immediate and unconditional
repeal.
MIR. Siney Kuhn and others smoke
in favor of the resolutions as reported
by the Committee, and Mr.. Nelson
against. The resolution as reported
was then adopted by vote of 81 TO 8.
The eighth resolution was then taken
up.
Resotued, That the public lands Of the
United States belong to the people, aud
should not be cold to individuals nor granted
to corporations. but should be held as sa-
cred trust for thssbene6t Of the people. and
granted free Of cost to actual SET
tiers only, in amounts not exceeding 100
acres Of land.
Mr. Magwire, Of St. Louis, offered a
substitute:
Rssolved, That free homestead, or q
suf6ciency of the soil to every American
citizen as his heritage, Of which be cannot
be deprived by his own act or by the action
Of his agent, the Congress, is the only pol
icy which can save the republic as well as
the citizen from the penalties Of pauperism,
which result inevitably in the ruin Of the
individual and Of the form Of his Govern.
ment
Mr.. Peters then offered an amend
ment to the substitute as follows:
Resolved, That each human being is
born into the world with natural right 10
a portion of the earth's surface on which To
make him elf home, and that any law OF
system of Jaws which tend to destroy OF
abridge this natural right are at variance
with the spirit of our republican institutions,
and tend at ouco to abridge the freedom Of
the people and despoil them Of the fruits Of
their industry.
Resolped, That the granting of lands Ia
railroad or other corporations, or the sale Of
it in open market to any person, in larger
quantities than be can cultivate, must inev-
itably result in making the final cultivators
of the tract SO disposed Of. tributary to the
monopolists upon whom they are thus confer
red, and create on the one hand small but
powerful landed and moneyed oligarcby,
and on the other an oppressed and depend
emit population.
Reuolved, therefore, That we call upon
every friend of justice and of republican in
stitutions to oppose. with voice and vote. 10
the utmost of his ability, any disposal Of the
public lands whatever, except to actual &C.
cupants, and in quantities not exceeding 16O
acres. T
Resolued, That the land already donated
to railroads is Of an extent sufficient TO fur
nish homes for millions Of people; that We
wish thase peoplerto be free people, and e
enjoy the fruits of their own toll, and thai
we therefore demand the revocation Of al
grants to which the title has not been actu-
ally acquired by the actual completion Of
the work upon which the grants were con-
ditioned, and that we especially demand the
repeal of the law granting territory equal
in size to kingdom to the Northern Pa
ci6c Railroad.
Resolved, That vast aud dangerous sys
tom of land monopoly has been built up in
those portions Of our territory acquired
| from Mexico, and more especially in the
State of California, under Spanish titles
based originally upon a systematic violation
of the rights of man, and that this evil de-
mands the careful attention of the National
Government and Of the governments Of the
States and Territories Immediately con-
cerned, with view to finding remedy,
which, while duly respecting all just rights
of individuals, shall yet procure the open
ing of the vast tracts thus held to actual
settlers and cultivators.
Resotced, That as at least half Of our
people are engaged in other pursuits than
agriculture, and as they, too, are entitled
to free homes, that we recommend the re-
servation of one-fourth Of the public do
main, distributed in tracts of varying size
over it's surface, upon which artisans. nan
ufacturers, traders and others not engaged
in agriculture may obtain bomesteads suit
able to their respective pursuits, each being
restricted to the quantity be may need for
actual occupancy and that for the purpose
Of preventing the enrolment Of the few at
the expense Of the many in the growth Of
cities, the Government reserve the right Of
eminent domain over all lands granted as
homesteads, subject to full protection Of
the occupier in his right to compensation
for all improvements which he may have
made.
Mr.. Sanford, Of Kansas, presented
the following as substitute for the
original resolution.
Resolved, That all men have national
right to portion Of the soil; and that as
the use Of soil is Indispensable to life, the
right of all men to the soil is as sac-ed as
their right to life ITSELF That the public
~.