The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-11-22
HOMESTEAD GOVERNMENT AID.
Making the Homestead Act a Reality by Aid
ing the Thousands Of Idle Workmen to
Cultivate the ands Now wing Waste.

ing the Thousands Of Idle Workmen to
Cultivate the Lands Now Lying Waste.
HON. HENDRICKS B. WRIGHT:
My Dear Sir: | have not had the
honor of meeting you for quarter OF
century and you may long since nave
forgotten the occasion of that meeteng.
1t was at the hospitable table OF one
long since called to his reward, the
late John 7. Sullivan, in the fall OF
1851. You were then in the congress
of the United States, and were as no.
ted for the zeal, energy, ana uprlshI-
ness of your craftsmanship as any man
of your years III that exciting PERIOD OF
our national conflicts. Then, all men
knew you as the incorporating de-
fender of the rights Of the people.
You belonged to the Jacksonlan De-
mocracy. Your opinions were as une-
quivocal as your advocacy OF them was
bold, earnest, and convincing. Re-
Numbering you as l saw you, on the
floor of the House, and as you were IN
the hour Of dinner conviviality, where
the flash of wit and the flow OF soul
mingled with the earneStness OF
clashing opinions, am proud to re-
call the impression your words, your
manner, and your earnestnesS left
upon me. l have never forgotten 1t.
And to-day l congratulate the country
that you stand in the front rank OF the
statesmen of the age, that you are
honored and loved at home, that your
name is foremost in demanding what,
in my opinion, is the grandest measure
demanding
the wisdom and commanding the SYM
pathy of the lawmakers Of the people,
that has appealed to the law-maklng
powers Of the government since the
enactment Of the law granting our
public domain to the people under the
title of the Homestead Act. Causes
have eliminated with wonderful ra-
pidity to make that act more than ever
important. To-day-by reason Of the
long debauches Of Legislative lcorrup-
tions, of class monopoly and corporate
favoritism in legislative grants; OF
banking arrogance, monetary mlsrule,
and the attempt of foreign and home
CAPITALISTS to subjugate our finances
to the control of the few, to the iron
rule of despotic power as unpltlable
L
we hear the cry of hunger, want OF
employment; ruin of industries, stag
nation of business, wailing through
the land as the sound of the hammer
of the auctiOneer at foreclosure, exc
cution and bankrupt sales; of enter
prises ruined, factories stopped, farm
erS sold out, mechanics sacrificed, and
business annihilated, echoes in the
ears of the people. There are millions
without homes, without bread, almost
without tomorrow for hope, or a
future for an effort; without employ
ment, demanding what they shall do to
be saved from beggary and from starv-
alton. Seeing that our cities and
towns on the seaboard are filled with a
surplus of labOrers unemployed, that
thousands who would avail themselves
of the Homestead Act, it they had
the means to enable them to reach the
lands and cultivate them, but to whom
the advantages are cut off from enjoy
ment as etfectually as if the lands
were in India and their productive
power at the bottom of the sea. l
some weeks since made the propositi ton
of forming colonies, of not less than
fifty families. ana demanding from the
government Il loan of $3.50 for each
head of the family. to enable them to
get to the lands to build such shelter
as they might require for man and
beast, to get in the crops and harvest
them, and start in life. This loan to
be expended for prescribed purposes,
and for those only, and so regulated
J. lxa no
title to the land, the improvements,
the horses, cattle and farming utensils
all being in the United States until the
loan was repaid. AT the time of max
ing this proposition / had not been APP
prised of the fact that you had propos-
ed similar measure, or that the Hon.
Nathaniel Z. Banks had introduced a
bill in congress having some features
in common with the plan proposed.
have not seen your plan, nor the bill
of Mr.. Banks; but whatever may be
their diversity, if they tend to the
same end, that is to make labor avail
BILE, not only to support the laborer,
but cultivate and make public domain
productive and valuable that is now
idle. reproductive and valuelesS, fur.
nlSD lucrative anu
ment to the unemployed, and Sc
remove the surplus of laborers rs to
relieve the seaboard from population
always ready to labor, always ambl-
tious and Industrious to improve It's
condition. and thus directly amellorate
and elevate the condition of large
classes of men who have no capital
but their brains, their hands and their
industry-then | say these Universities
will be Of small Importance; for con
gress, having the ideas of all and the
welfare of all TO consider and perfect,
will easily work out the details OF a
plan which, i'll my humble judgement.
will do more to relieve all classes from
any necessity of dependence. more to
elevate and encourage labor. more to
break down the tyranny of capital over
the unemployed than any single meas.
ure that has ever engaged the atten-
ton OF congress.
How to most effectuallv command
congress and action. you sir. from your
eyOprience and ability. are hest ablc