New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-04-19

Florida to the provisions OF the homestead
Law, be and the same are hereby repealed
provided, that the repeal Of said section
shall not have the effect to impair the
stead settler, and no land occupied BY such
settler at the time this act shall take effect
shall be subject to the entry, presumption,
or sale; and provided, that the public lands
affected by this act shall be offered at pub
lie sale. Is soon As practicable, from time
to time, and according to the provisions of
existing law, and shall not be subject to
private entry until they are 30 offered.
Mr.. Horey-I think there will be NO oh.
jection to that bill.
MI. Lswrence-Yes, there il some obiec.
ton to it.
Mr.. Holman-Mr. Speaker, this l believe
is substantially the same bill which was
before the House some time since, reported
- . House bill, and proposing to repeal the
legislation of some years since in behalf of
the homestead system in certain States Of
the South. II I understood the matter cor
rectly, this bill is of the same character a.
that. When the House bill that was 70.
ported from the Committee on Public
Lands was before the House some weeks
since, it was objected to because the ten
dency of the measure was to repeal the
homestead provision - applicable to cor
tain Southern States. 1t was objected to,
further, because the tendency of the meas
ure was to monopolixe the public lands i n
that section of the Union ct . nominal
price.
That has been generally discoun,enanced
and condemned BY the people of this coun-
The objection to this bill, il l understand
it correctly, 10 that it limits homesteads in
these States to forty acres, while the zen
oral homestead Law allows 160 acres of land.
Tho objection to this bill is found in the fact
that it limits homesteads to 20 small q por-
tion of lands ss forty acres instead of l60
acres. If the Committee on Public Lands
would report : bill to apply the general
homestead law to the Statee to which this
bill has reference, l think it would be OK
actly right.
To adopt the policy now of abandoning
the homestead system and subjecting to
sale what RENAME Of the public lands, 90
that they may be monopolized at . com.
paratively nominal price by . few citizens,
10 certainly . very unwise policy. The
System of disposing of the public lands Of
this country BY sale was insugurated at .
time when the public domain seemed to be
the treasury required that even the small
sums for which the lands wer Q sold should
be paid into the treasury to meet the pub
lie necessities. But in view of tho rapid
exhaustion of the public domain and the
increase of the lsndless people of this
country, and the certainty that their num-
Der will largely increase in the future, it
seems to me that . policy which will en-.
able . small number of persons to monopo-
tho worst possible policy upon which W
can enter, ! do not care what the character
OF the public lands may be.
II there 10 any we'll defined policy in regard
to the public lands in this country, as an
nounced BY all parties, Democrats and Re-
publicans of all shades of opinion, it 10 and
has been for several years past the policy
that the remaining public lands Of the
United States should be secured for actual
homestead law. understand from the
reading Of this bill that these lands are not
even subject to settlement under the home
stead Law until. they shall first have been
offered ct public sale. l admit that up to
this time the evils of land monopoly are not
felt in this country. The enterprising land
less citizen can press forward to the West
and still find . home OF the public domain.
But that state Of things 10 rapidly passing
sway. What remsins Of the public domain,
. We sec from the reports Of the commits
sioner of the general land office, is being
rapidly exhausted, not 90 much for actual
homes for settlers, but by the monopolizing
the land for speculation.
Under Q government like ours, where the
ownership Of land by the great body of
citizens seems to be actually indispensable
good government. Q policy which would
the public domain to Q system of
and that speculation fostered
and encouraged by the government, so as
to enable capitalists to acquire land at q
merely nominal price, lie in my opinion . |
very fatal policy.
In tho c0nfusl0n which existed in the |
House ct the time this bill was read l may |
have inexperienced it's purpose. / ask
hat it be again read. |
The 6peaker-The bill will be again read; |
the Chair begs members Of the House
70 give attention to the reading.
The bill was again read.
Mr.. Morey-Without desiring to take the |
1cor from the gentleman from Indiana Mr.. |
.olmsn but BY his consent, l wish to say, |
y the morning hour is about to expire, that
propose, having charge of this bill, that it
hall be discussed in the morning hours
ust 90 long - the House desires to have it
discussed, giving the opponents Of tho bill
nipple opportunity to present their views
md giving the friends of the bill the same
With that understanding,
he gentleman from Indiana still holding
he door. - the morning h0ur has expired
will call for the regular order.
The 6peaker-The morning hour has ex-
ired