National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-02-21
THE SURVEY SYSTEM.
Something Of the Proposed Reform Ther

Something OF the Proposed Reform Therein.
tFrom the Mississippi Valley Lumberman.
Our readers are all doubtless aware of the
fact that Congress has under discussion a new
system of surveys for the public lands of the
United States. Its general features include the
adjustment of the offices of survoyors-general
and the transfer Of this branch of service to
the Departments at Washington, which are to
inaugurate q comprehensive and exhaustive
scientific ascertainment of the latitudes, longi-
tudos, attitudes, and area of overy part of the
country, together with its complete fauna and
fora, including zoology, ornithology, entomol-
ogy, botany, geology, minoralogy, and chemis-
try. In order to compass so comprehensive II
system of scientific research 1t becomes neces-
sary to consolidate the National Academy of
Sciences. Smithsonian Institute, and the Agri
cultural Department with all the branches of
the Engineer Corps, and commence system of
| trianguation as well as surveys of mensura-
| tion. which are eventually to cover the entire
continent, mt maximum estimated cost of
81, ,752, 100000 This is purely in the interests
| of science.
No other head in America, save Schurz's
| could have conceived so monstrous design or
secured the attention or endorsement of even
the scientific idiots who seem to have espoused
| this scheme. The plan, though coming before
| the public as u Congressional measure, is un-
derstood to be the personal scheme of the Sec
retary, who. by reason of his most august posi-
ton and official influence. was able to secure
at the hands Of Congress the appointment cf -
commission, consisting of Professors o. c..
Marsh, James d. Dana, and w. p. Trowbridge,
of Yale College William b. Rogers and Alex
Agassiz of Cambridge; J. Ncwberry. of Co
lumbia College, and S. NewcOmb United States
navy. to report scientific substitute for the
simple, practical method of surveying which
| has been adopted in this country for the last
century. They have done so; and there is u
possibility that there will be asses enough in
Congress to force this iniquity onto the statute
books.
With Schurz all change is progress aud sim.
plicity vulgar. His mind soars above the
practical into the visionary and ideal, where
he cavorts about like bob-iail bull in fly time
His ambition is to reform everything that man
or God has created, probably to show his con-
tempt for the latter and his superiority over
the former. Not mere political trickster OF
the ordinary type, he is ablo to impose upon
the masses far moro successfully and far more
dangerously than the common thieves and
plunderes who hang like leeches on the body
polite. A thousand millions of money for sci
entfc surveys while countless multitude o
men, women, and children are in idleness and
want in our land thousand millions for sur
veysl when the people are groaning under q
load of taxation which makes property bur.
den and labor fruitless; q thousand millions
for surveys when national and State, rs well
as individual, bankruptcy seems imminent
and all business is paralyzed; thousand mil
lions for surveys when the staple products o.
the land will not bring back the cost of theii
production; q thousand millions for surveys
when the commerce of our empire must b(
done by foreign ships and its internal lines o
water and steel are in the hands of licensed
robbers Who shall anticipate u time when pros
perity shall again smile upon this people whel
such things as this can meet the favor Of oul
rulers?