The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-10-26

TmE LAHD eRAB.
The Surveyors General convention. which
recently met It Salt Lake City, did one very
foolish and misehievous thing. They unan.-
mously adopted = resolution that pasturage
| ana irrigable lands be leased in large bodies
for grazing purposes with the privilege OF
purchasing the same at the expiration of the
lease, a clause in the lease permitting homo
stead and mineral land entries and state
selections within the limits Of land embraced
in such lease. If these gentlemen were pri-
! vate citizens, and as such aired their opinion
on the land question, the matter would pos
sess no particular Significance. But this con.
vention was composed of federal appointees
from all the territories except Alaska, and the
surveyors general from the states of Califor-
mia, Oregon, Nevada and Nebraska-who
were republicans-and their action upon the
land grab question invests the subject with
peculiar interest to the people of Montana.
Their recommendations are embraced in the
PlVvb0sVAho ~ IA WHICH W0O 1uSSVNuSOOA
the house during the last session of congress.
| This bill was %strenuously fought at every
stage of its proceeding by Major Maginn:s,
and through his efforts it was finally tabled,
where it now lies. 1t will undoubtedly be
resurrected 1t an early day after the meeting
Of the next congress, for there is money in
that bill, and the land grabbeis are lot dis
posed to allow it to sleep the sleep of death
or permit it to pass over to the mercy Of
Hancock's administr alton. This meeting of
the surveyors general is only a part of the
programme Of the originators of the measure
to infase new vitality into the obnoxious
thing by investing 1t with the endorsement OF
men who are supposed to be familiar with
our land system. The clause in their resolu-
ton permitting homestead and mineral land
entries and slate selections within the limits
of land embraced in the lease may mean
much or it may mean but little. Under the
provisions, Whatever they may be, of the con-
templated law the lessee might purchase the
land within three days or within three years
from the date of his occupancy of the same.
The land sharks will see that that matter is
fixed to suit their purposes.
Let US reason together upon this matter,
not as partizans, but as men who have a com.
mon interest in the future prosperity of our
fair young territory, as ~ne;ghbors who are
bound together by ties stronger than party
feeling, as men who have, amid almost in.
surmountable difficulties, fought our way "a
pleasant. comfortable homes, where, sur.
rounded by our loved ones, we have hoped tc
see u country grow up around US in which
our children and our children's children car
find an abiding place.
The passage Of this bill! means much il
means more than We can tell; it means iso,
lation; it means stagnation; it meaps the
division of on: land into huge cattle pens; Il
> means the destruction Of our homes and the
blasting Of our hopes. II these were all the
, evils that would follow In the train OF the
> law, they are enough'to arouse the most in.
, different to the danger that threatens us. We
must look about us for our means of prutec.
? ton, and when found We should not irnor.
them on party grounds. 1t is we'll known
: that Major Maginnis has fought this bill
against overwhelming odds. He has had ar.
rayed against him an army of grasping mo.
nopol'sts, whose money jingles in the pocket.
OF scores Of Washington city lobbyists. These
men look upon Mr.. Maginnls az a serious oh.
stac'e In the way Of their march on our west.
} ern homes. They fear his influence a,
=: Washington, his e~loquence in defence of on,
t homes, his perseverance and the indomitab)e
pluck and energy he has displayed in thwart.
Ing their nefar'ous schemes. They are watch.
Ing our Montana campaign with more thar
, passing interest. They know that Mr.. Ma
ginn's has exposed their plans and showed
\ the'" up in all their hideous aspects mon
: every stump in the ter-itoy, they know thu,
4 the people Of Montana have recognized in
HIM n defender Of their interests and a cham.
n p'oa OF their rights, and they know, for the,
a are sharp men, that if Major Masinnis is de-
;. feated at the polls in November they can con.
strue That defeat as 4 fair expression of III.
= opinion entertained by the people upon The
land grab bill. They can urge, with som.
o snow OF reason, that after the matter ,.d
oeeh thoroughly discussed and ventila.eu be
iore the voters Of Montana, they wee too m
inherent Is to its issue to return the know,
enemy Of the measure to his seat in concre..
d ln'e - tho argument they would use wit,
b "oFsnefn' southern and eastern members q
. congress who would be apt to pay more heet
10 o'r indifference, and the suggestions of III,
i surveyors general, than to the feeble protes
. OF an un'ried. man. Our hope, our mean. O
Ase..'"s this dread disaster lie in the ~elcrtio,
i. Of Martin M.o,nc; ''