The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1876-02-17
From the Topeka Commonwealth.
THE NEW HOMESTEAD Law.
Hon. John j Ingalls, of Kansas.


The new homestead law bill which
recently passed the Senate, after one
of the strongest and brightest debates
known in that body for years. Is sig
nal triumph of tine actual settlers en-
the public lands over the railroad cor
porations which have disputed titles
with them. The object of the bill is
10 render definite the title to land un-
der the general homestead law, as well
az under special grants 20 railroad
companies, concerning which, where
the two have come in conflict, there
has been great deal of litigation and
many instances of cruel injustice to
actual settlers. Until within the last
few years, the decisions of the Govern
ment have been uniformly to the elfec.
that grants to railroads commenced
when the lands were withdrawn from
market. But recently all this has been
changed, and the Interior Department
has been ruling that the grants to rail
roads became operative when the line
If the road is fixed by the board of d.
rectors. The hardship cntailed upon
settlers by such ruling is apparent at
\ glance; and in Kansas, particularly,
It's effects are known by bitter expert
-nce. The new law is intended to
remedy this evil. and the emphatic
vote by which It passed the Senate
forty-four in favor to nine against
shows that the principle involved is
TOO clear and too important to be ig-
iored or trifled with.
The matter is one of special conse-
I.
and the homestead settlers have good
reason to congraiu late themselves up
on the victory which has been won for
them. 1t is attracting very general
attention, too, throughout the country,
md the voice Of the Republican press
~ almost unanimously in favor of the
bill. We notice, tor instance, in re-
cent number of the Rochester, IN. Y
Chr0aicie long and minute analysis
# the bill, with summary of the de-
bate upon it in the Senate, and q
warm endorsement of the settlers side
Of the controversy. The Chronicle
article closes with the following land
-Ome reference to the author of the
measure:
"There remains something to be said
VI HdIuTc pcfsOldi W MI. tHSdllS
who in the debate. at times close, sharp
and severe, has proved himself to be a
clear, forcible aud coherent speaker.
He had. during its progress, to cope
with some of the ablest legal minds in
the Senate and he showed himself to
be as good a lawyer as he is finished
He is certainly one of
the coming men of the Senate
But, beyond this, he has indicated
his reputation as man. 1t was but q
little over year ago that lie was made
the subject of the malicious charge
that he was entirely in the interest of
the railroads against numerous body
Of his own constituents-the actual
settlers of lands whose titles were dis
puted by the railroad companies. He
did not publicly answer the charge.
He has answered it now, most effect
lively, and in the zeal and ability he
has displayed in behalf of the bill.
which bears his name, and whose pro-
visions are SO manifestly just to all.
We shall probably hear no more ofthe
attempt to connect the name of Sena-
tor Ingalls, with the charge of proving
false to the settlers, because bribed by
he companies. His sincerity is man
ifest in his action