The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-02-20
AN INPORTANT MEAsURE.

Our readers have observed The discus
sion in the sennte on the bill to pay 10
the state five per cent on the sales of
public lands Tsis bill is of especial i'm
portance to Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and
ether western states. Senator Plumb is
championing it, The following is his
report ON il from the public land com
mitlec:
The government of the United States
in receiving the western and southern
states into the union, stipulated in their
several acts OF admission TO pay them
per cent. upon the sales OF public lands
situated therein. The consideration for
the ) per cent. so reserved is substantial
IN the the same in each of the enabling
acis Of said states; that is to say, Ohio
and Indiana stipulale that the public
lands therein shall remain exempt from
all tax whatever for thetCrm of five years
from date OF sale
Iowa, in the compact, stipulates four
things:
1. That she will not interfere with the
primary disposal of the soil.
2. Nor tax for any purpose the public
lands.
g. That the nonresident proprietors
shall not be taxed more than the resi-
dents: and
4. That the lands granted for military
services in the war of 1872 that may be
located therein shall not be taxed for
three years from the date of patent.
Illinois-Saine as Ohio, and the third
and fourth stipulations of the Iowa COM
pact.
Alabama and Mississippi-Same as
Ohio, and embracing the second and
third stipulations of Iowa.
Misseuri-Same rs Ohio, and includ-
ing that of Iowa.
Michigan and Arkansas-Same rs
Iowa.
Florida-Same as the first and second
stipulations of Iowa.
Wisconsin, Minnesota and Oregon
Same as the three first stipulations of
Iowa.
Nebraska aud Neyada-Same as the
second and third s.ipulatiQns Of Iowa.
Kansas The same as the first and
second stipulations of Iowa.
Louisiana-The same as Ohio and In
diana.
These stipulatiODs were proposed 20 the
people CT the several states by congress
as the condition Of union, for their "frec
acceptance or rejection" and if accepted
were TO be obligatory on both parties
thereto. They were duly accepted by
the states, which have, also. faithfully
observed them.
The binding effects of these compacts
is specifically recognized and set forth
in an opinion rendered by Hon. B. F.
Batter, then attorney general of the
United States, dated March 81, 1886, in
passing upon the legal effect of the act
for the admission OF Alabama into the
Union as follows:
THIS proposition, having been accept
ed by the convention, became and is oh.
ligGtory on the United States; that is 10
say. the faith of the nation is pledged TO
execute it literally, provided the govern
meat of the United States possesses or
acquires the ability TO do so. q o. A.
G.. 56.)
Since the admission of the several
states referred to, in many of them the
entire public domain has been disposed
of, and within the limits of the others
but 4 small portion remains unsold
The methods of disposition have been
various. For cash; in settlement of
obligations of the government to its sol.
diers, represented by military land war
rants: in aid of railroads and ca
nails and other works of internal i'm
provement; and under the homestead
law. The states have as yet made no
claim for compensation on account OF
the lands disposed of in the last two
named methods; the government has
paid or is in process Of paying D per cent. |
upon the cash sales, but up TO the pres
ent time has made no payment to any of
the states upon entries OF public lands
with military land warrants, though de-
mand has been made for the same