Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-08-07

the world possesses. liarbOrs and rivers
have been improved. and the trade OF our
western lakes and rivers now employs
commercial marine exceeding i.2OO,O oV
tons.
Enlarged facilities for trade have swelled
the volume of trade.
PUBLIC CREDIT ADVANCED.
Two facts are sufficiently eloquent of our
national growth. First-The six per cent
bonds issued in February. 1861. sold for
ninety -four cents on the dollar. The nation
then owed but $50. zoo, 900. The same
bonds sold in June, 1874, as high as 1924
cents on the dollar, in Gu :cncy, OF frac-
ton over 10 in gold. although the nation
tnen owed 1000, 100000 Second-The
value of annual exports of domestic com
moditles increased from 1913 900 900 IN
1850 to S6iS, 600 600 in 1873. being an III
crease during the period of sS276, coo 900.
There are those bold enough to assert
tina: the country Is now governed worse in
stead OF better than formerly. Some may
be found weak enough 10 believe such asser-
tons. But it requires great deal OF dccla-
nation TO prove that the day Is cold when
the mercury stands at nineiy-eight in the
shade. The mercury won [ lie. Men I'M
a great deal of rhetoric 70 persuade this
country that it is being ruined by govern
ment which in thirteen years has advanced
its credit throughout the money markets OF
the world fully thirty-threo per cent. and
has nearly treb.ed its surplus productions
LAND POLICY.
But this Is not all. Since the advent of
the Republican party the finishing touches
have been given to our land system. lt was
long ago adjudged that $l-2j was full
equivalent for an acre oftho public domain.
Accordingly that was fixed A. the minimum
price. That gave to the government $500
for quarter section OF land But Repub
licanism adjudged that a farmer was more
worth to the country than $500, and so it
has rendered a homestead not exceeding one
hundred and sixtyacres to every head of a
family who will make farm upon 1t. And
in view of a fact which no State can afford
to overlook, to wit, thst % successful agrl-
culture is the primal necessity and grand
inspiration OF every other industry, and
that, to be truly successful. agriculture,
like every other craft. should he learned,
prosperous colleges have been endowed out
of the public domain. wherein field culture
may be reared from the rank OF Il craft to
the dignity of science to the grandeur
even OF an art.
But, As establishing the future land
policy of the Republican party, the follow
Ing resolution of the mousse of Representa-
tiyes Is submitted
R,sorei, That IN the Iud -iaent a. til house the
policy OF granting subsidies ia public land 10 rail-
road and other corporations ought To- be discon-
tinucd and that every consideration Of public
policy and equal justice % TIE whole people requires
that the public lands Of the United states should
Ice held for the exclusive purpose of securing home
steads to actual settlers, under tne homestead and
prescription laws, subject o. reasonable appropra-
tons oi such lands for educate nll purposes.
THE UNION PRESERVED.
Fellow citizens, when you committed the
Union 10 the keeping OF the Republican
party. it seemed on the verge Of dissolution.
Al1nr hnnal arl s..nn l.nr-l II Lnd receix-