The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1876-02-24
$50 Nen unn,eStc2l Lsw.

The now homestead Law bill which re-
Gently passed the Senate, alter one OF
tho strongest and brightest debates
known in that body for years, Is a signal
triumph OF the actnal settlers on The
public lands over the railroad corpora
ions which have disputed titles with
,aom. The object of the bill IS TO rem
Ger definite the title 10 land under thc
,-eneral homestead law, as well as under
roeciul grants to railroad companies,
concerning which, where the two have
conc in conflict, there has been great
deal of litigation and many instances o.
cruel Injustice 10 actual settlers. Until
within the last few years, decisions OF
the Government have been uniformly TO
the effect that grants to railroads COM
mcnced when tbs lands were Withdrawn
from market. But recently ali this has
beon changed, and the Interior Depart
ment has ruling that grants 10 railroads
became operative when the lines Of the
road is fixed by the board Of directors.
The hardship cn,ailol upon SETTLERS
by such ruling is apparent at glance ;
and in Kansas, particularly, It's effects
are known by bitter experience. The
new law is intended ID remedy this evil,
and the sriphatic vote by which it
passed tae Senate-fortyfour IN favor
10 nine administrators that the principle
involved is TOO clear and too important
10 be ignored or trified with.
The matter is one Of special eonse-
oucncc in the new States like karsas,
and The homestead settlers have good
reason 10 congratulate themselves upon
tho victory which has been won for
them. 1t Is attracting very general at
ten,ion. too, throughout the country,
and tie voice Of the Republican press is
almost unanimously in favor OF the bill
We notice, for instance, in recent nun
her of the Rochester, \. y, Chronicle a
long and minute analysis Of the bill, with
q summary of the debate upon it in the
Senate, and warm endorsement OF the
settlers side Of the controversy. The
Chronicle article closes with the follow
inr handsome reference 10 the author of
the measure:
There remains something 10 be said Of,
a nature personal TO Nh lDgalls who in
the debate, at times close, sharp and
severe, has proved himself to be clear,
forcib,e and coherent speaker lie bad,
during its progress, 10 cope with some
Of the ablcst legal minds in the Senate
and he showed himself 10 be MS good q
LAWYER as he Is a fni,hed rbetoriciaa
lie is certainly orc OF the coming men
OF the Senate.
But, beyond this, he has vindicatcd
his reputation rs Il man. II WAS but a
lille over year ago that nc was made
the subject 10 the malicious charge that
ho was entirely in the interest of the
railroads against numerous body OF has
own constitucnts-the actual settlers OF
lands whose titles were diSputated by
The railroad companies. lie did not
publicly answer the charge. lie has
answered it now, most effectively. and
in the zeal and &oi'ity he has displayed
in behalf OF The bill, which bears his
name, and whose provisions are so man
ifestlv Just &c al. We shall probably
hear no more of the attempt to connect
the name CT SeAator Ingalls, with tho
charge of proving false to the settlers,
because bribed by the companies. HIS
sincerity is manifest in his action
Commonwealth.