The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-31
WORK FOR CONGRESS.

| fortune Oh most Oh llS predecessors. 1He
wants of the country were never more sharp
| ly defined, nor the just demands OF the
masses better understood, so the excuse for
falling into the hands of the lobby or going
on promiscuous wild-goose chases while liv-
ing upon the peoples money is removed in
advance. There are a few economic ques
tons that should have the exclusive consd-
Grafton of the Congress until they are settled
or so hedged about with just laws that they
will settle themselves. The relations of labor
and capital have agitated the country for
several years, and the intelligent observer
readily discovers that there is an ugly, grind
ing friction that demands an adjustment of
the legal machinery touching the question
that it may be removed While it will be
eminently proper and timely for Con-
gress to provide means to dispose
OF collisions between capital and labor
when they occur, it would be infinitely bet
ter to strike upon some method to prevent
the collision. There is something radically
wrong when these two basic factors are out
of harmony. Naturally, they are perfectly
adapted to each other when standing upon
an equal footing. But in the nature of
things, it has been more convenient for cap
ital to acquire artificial advan tages in the
way of favorable legislation than it has been
for labor Capital moves in an organized
form, the forces of labor are scattered, and
1t is the imperative duty of the national
lawmakers to take up this subject in the
spirit of absolute fairness to both sides,
and, so far as can be done by legislation, put
the question at rest. The land question is
another issue that should have heroic treat
ment The land-grabbers in the West, who
are monopolizing millions of acres, must be
| brought within the restrictions of wholesome
laws. 1t may be that some of them, while
the government authorities were either asleep
or conniving at the act, have &C.
quired legal rights that cannot now
be disturbed. The matter should be thor
oughly sfted, and the number of such cases
reduced to the minimum. The public domain
was and is intended to be parceled out in
farms for the American settler. The huge
and questionable grants to corporations, as
sociations and individuals are features clearly
outside the genius of the government and
point Enthusiastically to the serious detriment
| of the people. In this connection the
proposition to assign to the Indians their
land in severalty ought to be carried out.
This would seem to be wise for both the In
dian and the white man. fixing the former
upon his own property with the understand
ing that his proprietary rights are confined
to it, and that from it he must expect his
| living. After these assignments allotting
to each separate savage, buck, squaw and
| pappoose quarter section each, there would
be left still large tracts that ought to be re-
purchased by the government, if indeed the
Indian title is not mere fiction, and thrown
open for settlement by industrious men who
are ready and anxious for such an oppor-
tunity.
Another subject closely allied to the mis-
chief OF land monopoly is the regulation Of
foreign emigration. Not that strangers from
the old world should be barred out, but
hat some restrictions are needed which will
apply to the class who come here to ENJOY
the advantages of the country without in
curing any of its responsibilities. There is
a large number OF heavy land owners espe-
cially upon the plains of the West, who are
emigrants from foreign shores and decline to
clothe themselves with American citizen
ship. The privileges of this class ought to
be cropped as close as the existing treaty
stipulations with the nations involved will
| permit. No American can look upon foreign
colonies in this country with any degree of
satisfaction. While our gates ought to be
kept wide open for the admission of all good
men who come to identify themselves with
our institutions, our country and its des-
tiny, it is, upon the other hand, wise policy
to make a careful discrimination against
those who do not. There are a
few other questions, which have
been fully discussed by the people,
and upon which the incoming Congress will
have no trouble in understanding what is
needed and what is demanded. And if the
present session ignores these pressing nation
al measures and resolves itself into a poll
teal huckstershop instead, the disappointed
people will see to it that the complexion OF
the body is speedily changed. No legislative
body has ever been so thoroughly and
pointedly instructed by their constituency
as the Forty eighth Congress, and the peo-
pie will watch the proceedings, conscious of