Arizona citizen., 1871-05-27
PUBLIC LAND POLICY.

Hon. w. M. Stewart, or NeVdub, III the U. s. Senate. It briefly reviews the varied legislation for the disposi- tion of the public lands, indicating those laws which had their designed results and those which were evaded and perverted by land deal.rs. The Homestead Act of 1862, he holds to havement the expectations of its au- thors. The law donating the sixteenth and thirty sixth section for educational purposes has in the main proved be- nefcent. All other grants either ot swamp or agricultural lands, or by scrip, or warrants to soldiers, have tended more to the concentration of land into the hands of a few men, than to effect their intended purposes. The railway grants are shown to have been promoters of actual settlement, rather than otherwise--as too many declare.
 After plain reference to all methods used by the government ill parting with titles to the public lands, and the fruits of each, the Senator declares this proposition:
 There is no longer a question that good policy requires that the public lands shall be so distributed as to secure the greatest possible number of small farms for actual settlers.
 Here is the true doctrine. The Sen ator is applying himself to ascertain how this proposition can be made truly and practically effective, and he will either make the discovery or greatly aid in making it. Should his efforts be crowned with complete success, he will be entitled to the gratitude of mankind in general. As to grants to the railways, he declares every grant of this kind creates new and powerful colonization and immigra- tion company, which rapidly fills up the country with tillers as we'll as owners of the soil in small tracts. Railroad grants seem to have promot- ed the right class of settl ITS, while most all other grants have tended directly to a monopoly of lands, and prevention of their settlement until the price is enhanced beyond the reach of the poor man in need of land. The statistics and reason show that rail way grants operate to the opening up, improyement and civilization of the country. But with these impressions on his mind, he declares with em- phasis:
 Every law now in force, or hereafter tC be enacted, must be submitted to this test will it promote settlement?
 Senator Stewart has ever been the uncompromising foe of treaties with Indians or the cession of large bodies of lands to them. He refer; to Indian Territory, where tho savages have greatly retarded thf advance of the Atlantic and Pacific Railway. and says it is
 occupied by handful of Indians, to thu exclusion of all settlers, where an aristo cratic barbarsm not only mOnOpOlize the country, but denies to the surround ing States the right of way across its i'm perial dominions. This close imitation o oriental exclusiveness may yet be forced tt give way to the advancing steps of civiliza ton. ....
 The whole speech bears the tone O true statesmanship, and it is pit. that journals professedly favoring tn same policy, should be the first ant about the only ones to berate ant underrate it. A mean hostility t Senator Stewart, is evidently the caus of their dishonest opposition to hi correct views.
 THE Yuma correspondent of Tn San Diego Union calls Stoneman 9Th Cardiff Giant" This is the heavies hit on the plaster-of-P Paris humbug W have yet seen. The Army-and-Nav Journal, by the way, says Stonema