The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-02-21
THE HOT apRINnR MATTER,

II may seem NJ first blush that people
down here IN Texas can have very little IN
terefl in tho Hot Springs Arkansas, mOtlor
now engaging the attention Of Congress
This h not the eAse however, for II lsa quos'
ton In which every citizen In every Smle in
the Union IL interested, II Is u case lnyoly-
Ing dollars ind cents that belong
TO the United States government, and
y case In which every clifton Of every State
In this Union may 200 money for himself,
Al ono tune Governor Hector General
Gainos, and Mr.. Hale, all Of Arkansas,
were claimants Of the land ON which the Hot
Springs are situated, Each one sold prop,
erty then 10 different persons, and II Is prob
able TINT 10 remove all cloud TO title there
were persons who bought from all three Of
them, Vol, these gentlemen had long
aud tedious throo'cornorol fight In tho courts
70 settle the question of title between them,
aud on final adjudication II was decided TINT
tho property belonged 10 neither one Of
them, but 10 tho United States government,
The government then appointed u comnls-
sion to appraiso the property commission
composed Of four lnir-mlndod, liberal, intolli-
gent gontlcmon,so far MS we know and So FIR Ms
We have heard. This commission made the ey-
animation of tho property and agreed upon
the assessment Of values, and Inns filed It's
report, According TO lhorcport Of this COM
miltec, the Government has been to the OK
penso In the matter Of S2I 800 for the com.
mission isclri for damages 10 certain por-
sons for condemned buildings $4,000
making II total Of SlO2l 100. Tho
assessed valuation Of the property
Il S260,OOO, from which deduct the expenses
and there Is left the sum of $4,000 profit
apparently for the government But out Of
this must also come the value Of certain
lands given for church and school purposes,
for streets and alleys, The bin pending be-
fore Congress IL not in accordance with the
report Of the commission, but provides that
the settlers Mt Hot Springs may be
allowed 10 enter the lands, they being
Government lands, nj $40 per acre, which
will bring in only $4,000 yet the Govern
mcnt must pay the expenses eff the commits
sion, 1900, ond the damages for condemned
buildings SIi,GOO, or in other words, come
out looscr just $50, 100. Now the Qucs-
ton naturally ARISES, why should
these people nj Hot Springs be 50
favored Why should every citizen OF
every State in this Union be called upon to
run his hand in his pocket and pull out in
the way of taxation his pro rata of $50, lOC
to give thcpeoplc of Hot Springs that they
may be enable TO secure titles TO property Of
exceeding great value ? The government in
It's magnanimity and lberality has said tc
these people, "bccOuso you have settled on
these lands in good faith, thinking
you had titles, although you
are in law trespassers, you shall be allowed
fair valuation for your improvements and
given the preference in the purchase of tn,
lands at u valuation agreed on by commission
appointed TO appraisc it," The government
could have said to every man in Hot SPRING
"You aro II trespasser upon government pro
perty and you must vacato this land at once.
Then with the strong arm of its power
it could have executed its edicts
but it chose the moro equitable way, and still
these people are not satisfied. They have nc
right TO make claim that the government
should permit them TO enter the land at ten
dollars per acre. If they are to be thrown
open for entry let every man have an equal
showing with those that live at the Springs,
and if those who live at the Springs
are unwilling to give the assessed value
of the lands, then let others who
may be willing to do so, have the opportu-
nifty. But they are not willing for the pub
lie to come in and bid for the lands at their
assessed value, saying it was set apart for
them. If the public were allowed to bid or
these lands, they would bring largely more
than they are appraised at. Why then
should the public be called upon to give in
charity to the people of Hot Springs,
who are not in any need of char
ity. All the equity there is
in the case has been complied
with in paying them damages for their i'm.
provements and giving them the preference
MS purchasers at prices far below the market
value of the property. They have for years
used the property, and not II cent has the
government received from them for all those
years of the past in rent, During these year,
they have been living upon the government
upon the people of the country, and why
should We give them property now worth nj
least 100000 for $40, 900, and be at the OK
pense of S102, 100 to get it in shapeto give
10 them?
THE newspapers are bringing such a pres