The National tribune., 1879-08-01
The Equalization Bounty Bill and the Public
Lands.


has never been presented in this paper nor in the
halls of Congress- 1t is one which commends itself
to the close attention of statesmen and political
economists well as to all who have the interests
of our soldiers at heart BY virtue of the statutes
of the United States all soldiers are now entitled to
one hundred and sixty acres of the Public Domain
upon occupancy for the of five years deducting
therefrom the time served in the Uuion Army dur
ing the war of the rebellion. At the same time how
ever it is specially provided that in all cases he must
occupy the land one year previous to receiving title
even should his term of service be five years or
more One years residence is positively essential.
The purpose of the Homestead Act is to secure set
tiers on the Public Lands. 1t passed with
view that individuals and families having but very
slender means could obtain spot on Gods great
earth they might call their own, with roof over
them beneseh which however lowly, they would be
independent American Citizens This Homestead
Act is a most wise and benefcent one and many
thousands are now enjoying the fruits of It's enact
ment Now the question arises: How much fur
ther may its advantages be eXtended! Why, un-
doubtedlv far beyond what contemplated by its
author: Through what means you will query Why,
by the enactment of the Equalization Bounty Bill
On the inner sheet of this paper we present table
showing the number of troops with their terms of ser
vice and the States and Territories from whence they
came, who served in the Union Army Reduced to
a three years standard we find there were two mil
lion, two hundred and twenty-eight thousand,
four hundred and eighty-three men. Now it is
impossible for us to arrive st any defnate as
to what would be due these soldiers They would
be paid S89 per month"; deducting any bounty re-
IL i
ceeded the amount due them at the rate stated all
such whouldreceive no compensation. But Adjutant
General Townsend, with the whole question before
him-and he is better qualified to give a reliable
answer than any one else-estimates the sum total
necessary to pay the Equalization Bounties at $50
600 900 Now assuming that 500 would be a me-
dunn sum- which the soldier would receive, this sum
total would pass into the hands of 600 soldiers
Within the past few years the yicsstudes of fortune
have effected citizens in all parts of the country
: Men are poor now who have never been poor before
] and home 'be it ever so humble" is crayed by
i thousands of our people. Such being the fact, is i
safe assert that upon the passage ofthe Equal
> ization Bounty Bill great numbers of soldiers espe
cally from the western and northwestern states vii
use the amounts they receive for beginning hom,
on the land they entitled to? Especially vii
Il this law aid large bodies of eX-solders from Ken
? lucky and Tennessee who will be entitled to $500
each. These, first enlisted for one year, and after
/ wards for two successive years and paic
any bounty. Again, very many soldiers served
from eighteen to twenty-three months, and hav
never received any bounty-for if an original tire
l. years did not serve two he received no bount
unless discharged by of wounds or dsablite
S incurred in the service But as aforesaid, we ar
d obliged to fix upoh some average sum- that would b
r paid these soldiers and we have taken 500, Nov
y great deal in the way Of improving new home
1t can be accomplished with $l0O particularly if so
rs diers should decide. to migrate in bodes take u
il townships of land and cooperate in making improve
Of ments Well cutting up this $40 000 600 into $40
~ slices we find as before stated, ii will divide anon
g. 200 600 men. These would take up one hundre
,l ~sx, tol .nf . aOpa