National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-02-12

the settlement of the public domain. 1t would
leave 1t wholly in the power of the superintendent
Oh the coast ana Interior survey whether or not tho
The SpeoH of he b ySS be Pe
abolish the homestead system, as II left Il in the
power OF the Secretary of the Interior to say
| post system.
This transfer II was said would be economic
| AT present the public land was surveyed ut n cost
| from Tennessee (Alr. Atkins said that under the
provisions of the bill the surveys could be made at
| Il cost of fifty cents per four square miles.
| Mr.. ATKINS repeat It. speak on the author.
Ivy OF the superintendent of the Coast Survey Docs
| the gentleman challenge that nuthorlty2
| Mr.. PATTERSON. do. The gentleman from Ten
| nessee could not walk four square miles for fifty
cents IL would not pay for the shoe leather worn
| Mr.. ATKINS Does the gentleman suppose that
| the four square miles have to be walked over?
| Mr.. HASKELL II would cost move than that TO
| dig the postholes at the corners of quarter sec
| tons.
Mr.. PAGE also opposed the transfer provision of
| the DILL which he stated was being urged by n
| strong lobby. About 800 sections Of the Revised
Statutes relating to public lands would be repealed
| by that provision.
Mr.. WiGdfNToS favored tho transfer and the
various provisions of the bill pertaining thereto
There was no necessity for retaining the offices of
| Surveyors General In the several States, and he
was glad see that they were abolished By the bill
| But the bill should have gone further and
| abolish the local land offices.
Mr. MAGlNNGs thought that tho gentleman from
California (Mr Wigginton) was the only represent
alive of the far West who was in favor ola change.
The Legislatures of the Western States and Terri
tories on the contrary, had memorialized in favor
of the continuance OF the present SYSTEM The bill
would virtually repeal tho homestead and pre-
emption laws
Mr. DyNEELL opposed any change In the present
land policy of the Government. The present wasa
| bad time TO introduce any such change because
the indications were that there would this year be
great immigration TO this country, and It would
be four or five years before the people would be
| able to understand the new system,
Mr.. BUTLER thought that if any change were 10
be made in the land policy Of the Government II
| now than ever before Ir the change were hot
| made until the people understood IT, the change
never would be made. And if immigrants did I'M
derstand the present system, II was the only Repub
| lcan institution that they did understand. lie
wanted the change made, aud the sooner 1t was
made the better
| Mr.. GARFIELD advocated the proposed change
| and made philosophic speech OH the subject. lie
spoke of the ncorrcctness of the popular idea that
there were but two classes ofgovernmental powers
In this country, one of which was assigned to the
| States and the other TO the nation. In his iudg.
ment, there was third great cnssof powers which
| the founders of the Republic had denied both to
the States and to the nation and had reserved to the
people themselves. lie had been much struck
by Il recent speech Of Prince Bismurcks before the
German Reichstag on o proposition TO give political
rights to the Jews. Bismarck opposed It, and In
opposing 1t stated his understanding the pri
mary object of the existence of the Prussian govern
ment was. II was he said, TO maintain and defend
the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. How, then, he
said could one who disbelieved in Christ be prop
erly admitted as nsharer of power in the kngdom2
HeMr. Garfcld) had been struck with that thought,
and had contrasted itwh the fact that the founders
| of this Republic twho recognized the preciOusness
otreligion as the foremost and uppermost thought
ofmcn on the earth) had deliberately turned to the
great nation which they were about establish and
had said, You shall never make any law oboutrci
gion, and had then turned to the States and had vir
ITALY SAID to them, you shall never assume to make
any law pertaining To the establishment OF relig-
on." In other words, there was a right, an inter
est. and power, too precious to be trusted either
to the nation or the States, and twas reserved to
a hon 10 lie ind lint tI,n
sublimest fact In the organization of tho Govern.
ment that the most precious OF all the interests of
human beings within the boundaries of the Gov
| ernment was trusted absolutely TO the voluntary
action of tho individual people of the Republic
not to vote upon, but to settle by their own volun-
hry choice, perfectly at liberty TO have no re-
| lgion If they choose or any religion that they
please.
SO, in the main. the founders of the Republic
| trusted science to the same fnte to which they
trusted religion, with tho single exception of one
clause in the Constitution, authorizing the promo
ton of science by copyrghtsand patent rights. In
almost every other thing the support and mainte-
nance of science was left to the voluntary action of
the people, and 1t was wisely left. An appropria
ton to aid science would be q positive damage TO
science, just as an appropriation to establish
church would probably be damage to religion.
Generally what scientific men wanted was to be
let alone. lie did not however. regard the pend.
ing proposition in the light of proposition to aid
science but as an attempt to put a necessary work
of the Government (the survey OF its public ands)
| on proper scientific basis.
| Mr.. HASKELL made speech against the propo-
| sltlOn, cOntellulllB tnht was got up by ana Ill
the interest of closet scientists, and that 1t would
| be detrimental to the settlers.
Mr.. HALE alluded to the impropriety of putting
new legislation of this kind OH general appropria-
ton Bills and, referring to the Democratic caucus
of last night where 1t was resolved to attach polit
| cal matters to the legislative appropriation bill,
| he said he wanted TO sound warning note upon
these matters. So far as the repeal of sections $50
and S2l of the Revised Statutes Imposing the test
| oath on jurors) was concerned they had been al
ready repealed. and 1t was only by mistake that
| they appeared in the body of the statutes.
But as to the repeal of sections POLL to 20S0 those
sections were safeguards which Congress had
| thrown around the election of its own members
| and national Officers and the Republican side of
| the House was committed to the protection of
voters in every State. The members on his side
would set day and night to prevent such an inno-
walton, to prevent such an attack on the body of
the statutes. Gentlemen on the other side, If they
expected to do II, must do II with the warning
which he now gave that on them was the response
bity Of they chose to take iD OF an extra session
| of Congress
| The Republicans had held no political caucus but
he hought he might state for them that they did not
propose that such legislation should be forced in
| that way Oh the pending or any other appropria-
ton bill.
The general debate was closed, and the House
proceeded to consider the bill by paragraphs for
amendment.
Aflersome progress in the bin the committee rose.
Mr.. REAGAN, chairman of the Committee on Com
merce reported the river and harbor appropriation
bill. Ordered printed and recommitted
over an hour was spent In voting upon motions
to adjourn and to take recess, after which, at 500,
the House adjourned.
.
GEORGE TOUN NEWS.