New-York tribune., 1872-12-06
orr puBLIc hAXDs-LEGISLATToNNEE NEEDED


70 ths Eater Of The Trfo""e'
S,p The meeting of another session OF Oon-
- suseests q Thought or two on the Lana Vuesuop'
which hope you win allow me to express
columns Recent events have invested 'iii' guosS % -
atn a somew hatgnovel and peculiar interest Iheio -
-. rrarar,v AZ least a very remarkable unanmnV
:, ,nion respeeting it throughout the country Inc
Na,ional Labor Reform Convention which asseoieu ~
,ob,s I'm February last, took strong grouhu III upPV
,on 20 the further grant OF the pubic LANDS to railway
corporations and in favor of reserving them or aouai
,,Iers II lam not mistaken, the National Temperance
convention which met about the same tme avowed the
.,,oe noIiey So did the National Convention OF 'he
beral Repuhicau party at Cincinnati, and the Naoha
Democratic Convention at Baltimore, ana the Na'onai
Repubcan Convention at Philadelphia followed SUIT
The political parties Of the country are thus IN peeo.
accord this ISSUE while II may falrH Do aSsu'N ~
the people themselves are unit
In light Of these facts II seems 10 me 'nat tne %
for action has come The hour is fully ripe and the pres
ent il the chosen moment for testing political PROFESSIONS
Iy facts It's true that lip service Is sometimes tne
only homage which parties offer to platforms ON Whlcn
they have mounted into power hut thuh Ihe po'lOai
sduaton to-day not warrant any unchartape Juog
7uent regpecng any parties Assuming that they
,,eap what thev saw and are ready to practice what
they nreach the people will naturally expect the follow
ing timely proof OF it
I;rsf II hills are introduced during the present ses-
sion of Congress. providing further grants OF land 10
railroads or for other special objects, they VIII Oe
uroulptlv tabled in both Houses. This will be the most
emphatic and therefore the most ht response OF Con
rs 10 the united visa of the people There ~ no neeu
of Innoug matters when the popular Will so unn'dA
able hut. az an events, such propositions should DC
seriously entertained.
S,ooad: Tue principle should at once be embodied III
legislation that no OF the public lands when are
Mt FOR agriculture shall be disposed OF except % actu
seters according the substantial provisions OF the
PreFnution aud Homestead laws. This would prevent
The further monopoly the public domain by the sale
for speculative purposes OF large tracts of choice lands
to nonrcslcuts and ont the heneheent ENDS OF
the Homestead law, instead OF leaving H. as II now lS
= haltiug. halfway measure through the lack OF TINS
most essential amendment
Third The further provision should he enacted that
when a settler selects and occupies lands under the
Homestead Presumption laws, such selection ana set
temeui shan be deemed 70 create contract between
the GOverucut and the settler, and vested right oil
property r him. only 10 be dyested by his failure 70
comply with Ga, conditions which these laws promise
ha "a tie Tds enactment Is made necessary by re-
cent dcco of the supreme Court OF the United states
which makes tho settler a tenant az will, who may
lawfully uc dslnsscssed az any time prior to his hua
payment. while his improvements made IN EoOa Il.u @
may b cad~catsd. The well-fOunded pOpular dlscoh
with tn, decision, aud lts wanto9 injustice 10 oa
grand army of pioneers plead ior such measure VI
tho score ol policy us well a. justice.
Fiualy. she broad principle should he made laV
Ihaf hereafter. when any tribe ~ Indians shl desire
mari Win their lands they shall he conveyed directly
Inc United state and tail under the operations OF on
Land laws instead Oi being sold 90 some in0nOpolsi. o
s0mc Indian liag, railway company Ihe irlghuu
mischief of thc present policy, now witnessed aInon
fhe uoor tie Usage ana Cherokee neutral lana
iu Kausa. shud give Congress no pause tu the meas
uro suggtst secured II is great shame TO our la'
and G I policy that any occasion Tor such an ehaei
Inrui sluald have been given.
Thesc radical reforms in Land policy are now de
rnanded h t. good faith Ot all parties. They are espe
eiay due from the Republican party which mas INC
power ans Will De- without excuse il 10 fails to com ~
0ygu u.tform ntn laws They due from that party
also. or ,.ry special and strong reasons II makes IN,
Homestead law boast. AMI 70 deserves due honor iOi
ths gnar utasurt But the unfortunate lact ls, thai
ei,luli utou,I. with tn> enactment and as II ashamed
nf t aut Oc-rIus % nuy ana Illustrate IT'S TlglteOus
pruylsiu- tiiU J. publican parry uauc nste 10 lauheA
ihe ruiuou- Indian Treaty policy 10 Wnch nave nay re re
ferraI. and iua.CIJ4ted our reckless ana pfohSdte
policy 0f land grants 70 railways which mas Deen
eonstauiiV growing worse even since Ilt opportunity
has nov CONE for these great mistakes ana 10
Iuak c0ad houtrd friendship for the landess poor
aud irlst win uc seized. n cannot safely DE sIghted
Tie suggested would TeNolutlohNt our
wnOlD i.lnI policy u tit direction OF justice ana thc
rigii. people. lt WOuld De as iar IN advance OF
our tir.,aut policy the Homestead and PretmptOh
Laws Wpr in advance U early policy, when settler
on fis puJic lands Wtge treated Is trespas,er3 anu
visited win penalties. Fully believing III the Wis
and iu-fice of the measures have specined ana
having zaou-y Struggled for them in Congress during
PAST years rejoice iu the strong nope that me dty oi
Their truuipI draws nigh. 6EO w JULIAN
Washington, Dee 2 io7-.