The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-11-01
Stealing the Public Land.

which the people of this country have
the right to seriously complain, it is the
way the public lands have been stolen
from them, The controversy is with
the Republican party, and it will be
diflicuis for the leading men among
them to defend so gross a violation of
public confidence. The great wealth of
broad acres, the magnificent heritage of
the people, has been gradually taken
from them; the most of it by grasping
railway corporations, and every once in
awhile big slices cut off by fraud and
outrageous theft. Any government but
one wholly given up to schemes for
the retention of political power would
have found time to overhaul these land
robbers. whether in the form of organ
lied corporations or simply acting rs
individual adventurers. But this boast
ed Republican protectorate finds no
time to look after anything except the
spoils of office, and the retention of
favorites in the soft places of Govern
mental control. 1t has, therefore, come
to pass that what little public land has
escaped the ravages of grasping cor
porations is being gobbled.up in every
conceivable fashion by men who care
nothing for public rights and still less
for the arm of the law. The most out
rageous and astonishing frauds have
been perpetrated upon the Land Office
of the United States in the far West,
frauds so gross and monumental in
their character as to..almost surpass be-
lief. Complaint has been made time
and again by the settlers who were be-
ing robbed and plundered by these bold
adventurers, but their complaints were
left unheard and unheeded until these
violations had grown to such proper
tions as to demand attention by the
danger of great public scandal. These
things have long been known to the
authorities, but the scene of the rascal
tiles being far removed from the theater
of political activity, delays were al
lowed to go on, disheartening the
efforts of the settlers, and still more
firmly intrenching't robbers in their
schemes of greed and conquest. When
the muttered growls of discomfort could
no longer be postponed and action was
forced upon them, n special Land Agent
was sent West into the Territories to
investigate and examine, and the pict-
ure he draws of Republican carelessness,
iDattention and neglect would be dam
agent he is had any conscience to reach,
or any sincere regard for public opinion.
This agent says:
| lated with recklessness that was positively
| astonishing. In many cases it was found that
| absolutely nothing had been done toward re
claiming the lands, and yet what are known
and regarded aS good citizens have gone be
| fore the land officers and made solemn oatt
| that the land had been reclaimed and all the
| n In W p1
| fact, no mark made by human hands could be
| found upon the entire tract. Other tract:
| no more desert than the Valley of the Ohit
| 1tiver. Other land was found to have beer
taken up under the Timber Culture act 9poI
/ original filing more. forest trees than the law
| requires when final proof is TO be made. TIL,
| Homestead law has not been fairly construed
| and thousands of acres have been patented
| by persons who have not complied with on
| single requirement of the law. and who hav'
given fraudulent testimony with the full ii
| tent ami purpose 10 defTaud tho dorernuita at
Tens of thousands of acres of public land
| are fenced or by wealthy stock raisers, thu
| leaving the actual settlers without q range fo
the family COW. In one instance it was fount
that men living rear city in Montana ha
| fenced mp three thousand acres OF publ
| lands and permitted the town people +
pasture their stock on the inclosure for on
dollar per month PER head"
We have here string of charge
which are disgraceful in the extreme
including perjury and villainy. Tha
such Il state of things could exist unde
the eye of men charged with the duty O
protecting the public interest seems al
most incredible, but so much has hap
pened during the past twenty years @
q like character, not only out in the ia
West but much nearer the haunts o
civilization, that one need not be aston
ished. If the common people of thi
country, they who must work hard fo
living and have not the time to read u
closely the current political doings Q
the party in power, could know full
and completely how the interests of thi
country have been trifled with, betraye
and abused by those charged with il
protection and defense, they would nc
need to be told what their duty was a
honest patriotic citizens. A sweepin
indignat, on would overwhelm the me
who, prating of their zeal and fidelity
waste their time in political schemin
aud delude the people by honcyc
words, when broken promises and be
trayed trusts rise up to condemn theI
upon every hand. What that ager
says of the manner the public trusts ~
administered in the Territories
equally true of public concerns neare
home, and every intelligent unprejr
diced man knows it. Neglect and il
difference is written up against most {
the public duties of the Republica
party, and it is high time to call tha
party to account. Register.