Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1873-01-22
The soldiers Bounty Land Bill.

liz LGBNAlAOu q QudLLCI stEAlOA Oh ldnO. IL
entirely without saving virtue, in the es
timation Of the soldier-editor of the Ohic
State Journal, who exposes the veal
points of the bill very forcibly. In al
article on the subject the Journal SAYS:
Surely, the House of Representatives
did not consider the effect, and the per-
nicious consequences of this measure
The author of that bill must have a spe-
cial love for the "land-grabbers.'' It is
the most gigantic l2nd-grabbing scheme
that the wit of man ever invented. II
passes uuder the name of a soldiers
bounty land act. and purports to benefit
the soldier. 1t is a delusion and q snare
a false pretense ; a swindle and a cheat.
1t is to be hoped that a majority OF the
peoples representatives voted for the
bill from pure motives but can it be
possible that they were ignorant of the
effect of such g law 3? Did they, knowing
the effect, vote for it in order to curry
favor with the soldiers, expecting the
Senate to defeat the bill? Ifso, the arti-
fee is too gross. The most ignorant sol
der can see through it, and even the
most worthless and corrupt must despise
the man who resorts to it.
1t will take not less than five hundred
millions of acres to furnish each officer
and soldier with one hundred and sixty
acres. This covers an area more than
twenty times as large as the Stale of Ohio.
When all the public lands in the States
OF Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Mime
sota, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Mis-
sissippi and Arkansas have been located
under this bill, should it become a law,
only n soldier in five (perhaps one in
ten will have received his patent. Where
are the others to get their lanGs7
This bill at one swoop dispOses of all
the available public lands in the United
States, and all hat will become available
within fifty years or more. No such
quantity of lands will be demanded for
settlement until the population of the
United States reaches 100, OO0, 600. Some
years ago Congress passed a homestead
law, which has done much to relieve the
poor, and encourage the settlement of
the Western States and Territories. In
der that act any citizen can perfect his
title to n hundred and sixty acres Of
land upon condition of five years occu-
pancy anG the payment Of a nominal
sum. This bill effectually repeats that
law; Tor how car a man settle on the
public lands when there are none?
"But," say the advocates Of this meas
ure-or rather the and-grobbers-"these
lands might as well be divided among
TUT EOA4ACLcs VT Owe LuEH ElOIt Lldu We
can ever pay" and so forth. All true
enough, but this is not intended for the
soldiers benefit. Not one soldier in
twenty has the slightest intention of GO
ing West at present, and ali who do so
can get land without any additional
legislation. The land-grabbers under
stand this matter to perfection. Force
all the public lands on the market at
once, and the average price will fall to a
nominal sum-say ten to twenty-five
cents per acre. and each soldier would
realize from SIC to $40 from this great
Congressional bounty One half Of
that, at least, would go to the attorney
for making the location. Already these
attorneys are gathering up discharges,
securing written authority to locate, and
collecting from.S $40 to $40 from each sol
der and at the same time they are
agreeing to find purchasers, at the mar
ket rates, as soon as the location is made.
In short, unless there is more public
virtue, sound sense and statesmsnship
in the Senate than has been shown in this
matter in the lower House of Congress,
the people of the United States will be
utterly swindled out of all their public
lands and two, three. i've or ten years
hence, if our sons desire to settle in any
of the new States they can do so by pay
ing from s. to $40 PEI scre, to the land
monopolists, for land which, under sK-
listing laws, would cost but q trife for
everybody knows that 95 per cent. of all
the land located under this bill viii be in
the hands of the monopolists within a
year or eighteen months. That is the
meaning and intent ofthe proposed law.
It means wholesale robbery, in the name
of the soldiers. Not one soldier in s
hundred has asked for any such legisla-
ton. The government paid the soldiers
according to the contract at the time of
enlistment, end to their entire sstisfac-
ton. If in equity, there is anything
more due them, let provision be made
for payment; but do not, in the name of
gratitude and patriotism, make a gam
bling stake of the heritage Of our child
rem. There is no class ofmen more cap
able of taking care of themselves than
the soldiers. They have possession of
two-thirds Of the Offices, National, State
and municipal they are most NC.
cessful farmers, manufacturers and
traders; and everywhere, west of the
Alleghenies at least, they OWN more than
n half of the property Of the country,
resi- and personal. They do not need
this pretended bounty, and do notask it.
To the sober. industrious and economic
al soldier it is nothing, and to the vicious,
lazy and worthless it will be q positive
injury, as il will furnish them the means
Of gratifying their unhealthy appetites
for a few weeks. The MANNED soldier is
entitled to every consideration. If the
present pensions are insufficient let them
be increased, but let the taxes be levied
to pay it; but, above all, let us avoid all
land grant swindles.
If the Senate should have so little re-
gard for the true interests Of the country
- - l. - ML~a
the President Will promptly put his neg
alive upon it. He will never have a bet-
ter opportunity to earn the gratitude Of
the country, and ecure the respect Of
all true soldiers. Il is said, and truly
said, thai the soldiers saved the country ;
and they do not now want d~emagogues
and swindlsrs TO ruin it in their name.