The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-16

different attitude of France in face Of the pass
ing away of Napoleon is an answer to that
It is later affirmation of belief in things as
they are. which received its first great tone
in the milliards that France brought to
the Republic to pay for the 'glory," the shoddy
and the folly of the Second Empire. The
failure of Bourbon and Orleanist to improve
the occasion which the death of the exile
offered is another proof, not merely of the
weakness of their cause, but that the
Republic is the only possibility, for the
present at least. In the wisdom and
moderation Of those who stand at the head OF
true republcanism in France will remain the
chances of its permanent continuance. On
this side. too. the sympathies of republican
America are enlisted Again and again
has the reproach of ickleness been
attributed to the French. 1t is the
expression a day or two since of one
of the provisional pretenders to the throne.
Whether it be an inherent fckleness in their
nature to long for res nouG continually or
whether the upheavals and repressions since
1889 are due to persistency in aim
ing at attaining self-government whenever
chance offered, is at present On open
question. National characteristics are not
born in day. Before the Revolution the
French were not more politically tickle than
other peoples. The reproach against them
will wear lighter shade when we remember
that all the royalty and feudalism of Europe
have conspired against the republics of France.
When left to themselves the French have at
every opportunity returned to the republic
1t is our sincere hope to-day that they have
found one which now will progress and endure
Tho Land Grab for tho Agricultural
state Colleges and Other Lobby Land
Jobs.
The bill of Mr. Morrill,, of Vermont, ap-
propriatng the proceeds of half a million Of
acres of the public lands at q dollar and
quarter per acre. for the endowment of an
agricultural college in each of the States and
| Territories, or, in other words, the bill appro-
priating some thirty millions or more of
money from the public treasury for these local
educational corporations, has passed the
Senate by the decisive vote of 80 to IA, not
withstanding the opposition to the scheme in
the debate of such influential republicans as
Morton, Sherman, Pratt and Window. The
shallow sophistry that as each of the States is
entitled to its share in the public lands each
from going into the public treasury carried
the measure through, when, in point of fact,
the public domain is the property of the
United States, and the proceeds from its sales
can with no more propriety be divided as
gratuities among the States than can the
receipts from customs or the internal revenue
assessments
We apprehend however, that the tempta-
ton here offered to each of the States and
Territories in the proceeds of half million
acres of the public lands for an agricultural
college will be too strong for honest opposi-
ton in the House, as it has proved to be in the
Senate. The scheme is none the less, how
ever, joint-stock combination lobby job-a
scheme of bribery and corruption; scheme
to get some thirty millions of money out of the
public treasury on false pretences. We have
| no doubt that every State and Territory has
its little college ring organized, or under way,
for the management of its share of this joint
stock operation, and that each of these rings is
represented in the Washington lobby. 1t may
be absurd to resist the passage of q scheme so
powerfully fortified by the public plumber
involved, and yet, upon the heels of these
Credit Mobilier and other shocking disclosures
of bribery and corruption, we think it possible
that this agricultural college job may be de-
feated in the House. 1t surely cannot pass
searching investigation
Pass it, and the door will be opened to nu-
merous other grand combination land grab
bling schemes, awaiting their opportunity to
be rushed through the House or the Senate.
The latest notable device in this land stealing
business is that of giving land certificates to
honorably discharged soldiers or their legal
representatives. Petitions are being poured
into Congress in behalf of this measure. But
what is the real design covered up in it?
Combinations of spectators are doubtless
lying in wait for the passage of this bill and
the distribution of the land certificates to the
poor soldiers, in order to buy them up by
thousands and next to secure their lands
and hold them for q rise. The Secretary re-
ports the number of Union soldiers who served
in the late war for the Union at two million,
six hundred and seventy thousand, five hun
dred and seventy-eight- Surprising that of
this mighty host million and half would
get their certificates, each for one hundred and
sixty acres of land, if this scheme should be-
come law, there would be a haul upon the
public domain for two hundred and forty mil
lion acres. But would it go to the poor soldiers?
No Tbav wou1d call THAR ocr;v, for cosb 20 +bo