The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1882-08-24
LAND-GRANr RAILROADS
Speech G; Hon. William 5.
Holman, Of Indiana,
In the House Of Representatives,
Friday. July Z. ISIS.

preparation bill, Mr.. Holman sail:
Mr.. Cha rman, this bill OF odds and ends"
which can fin no appropriate place in any OF
tie regular bills provid NJ for the departments
Of Government, approprlates tue unprecedent-
ed .nm Of s23,6so. sc5.t6, which might be TO-
duecd TO s7.0DO,uOo without impairing the efli-
cheney Of any department. but there il
single item in the bill inyo.yin; compare
t,vclv-small expenditure to which wish to in
vitc attention.
That item reads "a follows:
!. For surveying the public Ian Ii, 440), O00.'
The sum heretofore appropriated annuiil
for that purpose has been IS 'O,OOO. This IN
crease might excite at ention but upon exami-
nation lind that system has recently grown
ap under cover OF law enormously increasing
the fund for the survey OF the public land u,l-
der this system Persons desiring the survey
of township Of public land deposit the money
to cover the cost OF the survey Ill any Govern
ment depository and receive 4 certificate for
tie same. and these certificates are ans,gn-
able and are received in the land
offices ~ cash in payment for pub
lie lands, and tic funds deposited are ap-
piled to the survey OF public lands learn
from the last report OF the Commissioner Of
the General Land Office that during the fiscal
was deposited under this system, which, added
to the 100000 regularly appropriated. made
the sum Of S2.loi l66,47 available for the
survey Of the public lands
Thus double fraud is perpetrated on the
Government the one in opening mp facilities
for the excessive profits incident TO the Gov
crnmcnt surveys, and the other furnishing
opportunities for capitalists to monopolze at =
nominal price large bodies OF the most valuable
Of the public lands.
Now, sir. the Commissioner has called atten-
tiou to ihss subject. and in his last report sets
forth an order issued by him re. kins to restrict
tits evil, the rst paragraph Of which ID in these
words:
10 SURVEYOR GENERAL: In order to rre-
vent. As lar as possible, the preparation OF
frauds and fraudulent surveys, which have
aifeady assumed alarming proportions under
the system of deposits by individuals, it is
hereby ordered.
And the Commissioner proceeds to set forth
rules SC king to counterfeit as far AS possible"
tnese frauds and the Commissioner recon-
men II the repeal Of the law under whic these
franis are sheltered. These facts are known,
] presume, By all The members OF the
II us, and are especially within the knowledge
OF the Committee OH Appropriations.
After ing thus informed Of the existing
evil by tie Comm .sioner Of the General Lani
Office the Committee on Appropriations. after
alptopriatns 100000 by this bill for the sur
vey Of The public lands. instead OF repeating
the law which authorizes these frauds, add the
following provision:
.Tnat no certificate issued for q deposit OF
money for the survey or lands under section
2.i03 OF the Reyi-ei Statutes aud tic act ap-
proved Msrch 8. 1879, amendatory ID o hail
he received III payment Tor lands except Ut the
lsnd Off e in which the lands SURVEYED for
which the depos Was made are subject 10
entry, and not elsewhere but this section shall
not be held to impair or affect I'D any manner
deposits and contracts made under the pro-
visions OF said act prior to the passage OF this
act"
concede that last clause ia right If ly the
PROVISIONS incorporat d IN secii IN "a - of the
Revised Statutes and the smendatory act,
making these certificates assgnable. parties
have become the holders Of these certificates,
rendering ii still more convenient to reach your
public domain. why, Of course, the Govern
ment is bound by it and must submit to that
extent to the wrong done.
Blt protest against the other proposition.
and still more protest against what il emit
ted-a repeal Of The Law authorizing the fraud
WHAT. then, IL the effect Of the provision? II
II simply this, that the certificates Of deposit
shall only be received in payment for land in
the land district in which the survey Was made
for which the money was deposited. Does that
reach the evil? Does that put an end to or
even limit those frauds? Not in the least
Some OF these land districts exceed the terri
tory Of great State, embracing millions OF
acres, and all that the provision Of the Gem.
"
gentlemen who are surveying and monopoliz-
Ing the most choice OF your public lands to the
district III which the deposit is made. hardly
tllnk they would wish larger field.
! would now be very glad 10 hear anexplana-
ton from my friend from New York Mr..
II seockl why this extraordinary state OF I'll ngs
il permitted; why this legislation which
authorizes the issue OF these certificates il not
repealed by this bill in conformity with the re-
Communications OF tie Commissioner OF the
General Lind Office.
Mr.. Hiscock-It il not claimed that there
has been any abuse in this deposit sys-
tenn unit the certificates were made
asslgnab!e and receivable for the amount
carried upon their face in payment
for public lands ut any point or at ANY place.
do not understand that there il anything in
the communication to which the gentleman re-
fers that claims that there has been any fraud
or irregu'arty in this matter. or that the system
has worked otherwise than well up to the point
Mhen these certificates were made assignable
so that the men making the deposits OF money
were not compelled 10 take the land when It
WAS once surveyed, but were given the option
OF selling the certificates and assign
Ing them to other people to be locate
where thes pleased. THESE c rtiicates were
made as,lguab,c in 1881, think
Mr.. Hoiman--it was IN 1879
IL. Hiscock They were made assignable in
1873 II il claimed that since then the abuse
Has 1IoNh HIP Vi uepOSi Ing money LOT which
CT III ates We're Issued, for the sole purpose OF
furnishing business TO the surveyors. and that
therein consists the abuse After inll consnlta-
Il II With the Land Office we have repealed the
assi.nabllity Of these certificates.
MIR. Reconsideration ID that?
Mr. Hl,cock-To the extent that they must
be located lev whoever holds them in the dis
t'ct If the Land Office in which the deposit
was IN de.
Nc. A,k,ns--And not IN the township a.
Ii. r.tofore.
Nh. lIlscock-They we're originally required
be located in the township.
Mr.. Holman i think understand the gen.
tlsman's position, and h. will excuse me il dc
not permit him 70 consume any more Of my
TINE. This explanation ID entirely unsatisfac-
tory, AMI " II DO found 30 by. any gentleman
who will examine the facts before the commit.
tee and the provisions OF this bill; the cIause
have read il the entire provision The use Of
these ceriinc ites Is not limited to the persons
To whom they were Issued: they are not limited
at all. except hat they shall be used In the land
district whit re the deposit is made. 1t leave.
he evil just exactly H 1t was. The statemen,
OF the Commlssioner, in which he refers to the
aeslgnaLllity Of these certi icates, il this:
Applications for surveys are fraudulent,
prepared BY or through the Inst cation And
management Of deputy surveyors, who, for the
purpose Of securing the contract for making tho
survey, either themselves or through friend
advance the money for the deposit ihereafte
sell and assign the certificates, and thus REIN
bnrse themselves and secure their profit from
the surveying contracts.
And yet gentlemen must see that even
these certificates were not as,ignable the sam
evil. only slightly modified, would continue
What il most marked il that the Committee OF
Appropriations, and apparently with tn, con
currence OF the Committee on Public l. ,nds
permit this monstrnus wrong u 60 Of til
survey Of tn 30 lands beyond the public want
FOR the purpose Of speculation for that
what il mems, Just that, nothing less.
concefe that The Comm oaer OF the Lam
Office comIl iins Of these frauds on account D
tls profitable surveying contract, thus oh
tanned. That il not the main evil Of which
complain. What am condemnlng IL
Mr.. Atkins-Wlll the gentleman allow m
one woril
nr. Haiman-Let me finish my sentenc.
Naat am condt mining is that you ALLOW tn
survey OF these lands far beyond the deman nd
OF settlement not 80 much that it enables Iii
contractors who make fle surveys to realize III
reasonable profits, but for the otaer reason I'll,
II Of much greater moment To the people of th
country. that il enables men with capital
III guuluIlIe xUur blllilc lanl~ aud sae4aiafe !.