Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-03-28

VA
Deotit ianu acJ.... S91, 106
Besides this various amounts have been dis
posed OF u der special acts. The Lublic Lands
Commission estimated the area of public lands
remaining the property Of the government on
June so, 1880, at .273 966 5S4 acres. From this
the area OF uncXplored Alaska is to be deducted
in considering the land grant question. There
must also be taken out $4,000, 900 acres for In
dian and military reservations 80 900 600 for
private land claims II, $50, $50 acres unsurveyed
in the Indian Territory. This leaves in round
numbers but $50 900 900 acres to be disposed of
by the government.
The country generally has an idea and
strongly developed idea, that vast blocks and
stretches of the public domain have been grant
ed to railroad and other corporations, and in
this the public is right, only it doesn't go half
far enough. The policy of granting landsto aid
in the construction of railroads began with the
grant in 1850 to the state OF Illinois for the Illi-
no1s Central, and ended as far as Congress is
concerned with the grant in 1871 of IA, 300, 100
acres to the Texas Pacific. In an article on this
subject. the Chicago Tribune Says
The land set apart for homes tor families has
Oeen made into empires for corporations Every
element of human fault and fraud has been at
work IN the spoliation of the land of the people.
congress has been eXtravagant and has failed to
act when part of the results of It's extravaganza
might have been saved. The Land Office has
Oeen lnadequately equipped by Congress- and
mas on lts own account been careless, dishonest
and traitorous to the interest of the people 1t
mas been wax In the hands of the great railroad
corporations, but douUIe-edged steel in the side
OF the poor settler. 1t has oterruled de-
-cisions OF the Supreme Court and nullfied
acts OF Congress to betray It's trust and
enrich the railroads. but has refused even
TO exercise Its discretion when the home Of
settler held by righteous title was to be con-
hscated at the demand ofcorpcrate greed. The
nlggardllness OF Congress makes clerks on sal
aries OF 81 200 to 81 800 year unframed In the
law, knowing nothing of the rules of evidence.
Judges of the law and facts in cases involving
millions OF dollars and thousands of homes
There is no worse chapter in the history of gov
eminent than the facts we have to give show
1gg the deliberate and heartless evctions of the
european Immigrant and the American settler
In order to give their farms to cOvetous cOrpOr-
atlOns. The land grant roads have had millions
OF acres granted them by the Land Office In ex-
cess OF the grants by Congress. The whole
story Is summed up in the recent remark Of one
who had Thoroughly investigated the subject
that the history of the management Of the
land grant roads by the Land ONCE is a history
OF the management Of the Land Office by the
railroads.
VI these grants there are three classes:
l. The grants to states that have lapsed and
were forfeitabe, though never forfeited.
q The grants to railroad corporations that
similarly lapsed,
8: The amount Of land actually earned and
patented to the railroads.
The following table shows the administration
and Congress under which the grants were
made. together with the average:
Acres patented Acres
1650-Presldent Fillmore, 1st,
31St Congress 3T5171f 3751 III
l65a-President Fillmore, 1st,
32t Cong reSS. 1.164.71O LIZA PIT
lS53-President Fillmore, ID,
Ssd Congress......... 1,s5e,46l 1859, III
Total under Fillmore. 7,s72,sss s.19s, 1888
1656-President Pierce, 1st,
34th Congress. 1880, $50 1889 729
President Pierce, Sd,
3ath Congress. e.sso,4s 5,11s,4
Total under Pierce. 1856, 4a5 1888 l79
1862 President Lincoln, 2d,
37th Congress. 5O9S 418 "a 504 OO1
1e63-President Lincoln, 81,
S1th Congress. 8 SS8 938 3915 an
IS6i-President Lincoln. LIST,
3Sth Congress. 62I3S99 46S42 6n0
fS65-PreSident Lincoln, 2i,
18Th Congress......... 2,465,o16 $4,000
Total under lincoln. 1716427o 1896, SOL
iS66-prrsident johnson, 1st,
10Th Congress. 1870 295 GO1 oQ7
l6G9-Pres1dent Johnson, 81,
10th Cong. esS- ....... 1851
Total under Johnson. 5,O2O,l07 a4,O01, e97
1s.O-Presldent Grant, 2d,41st
Congress. ......... OO0 nO0
iS7f-President Grant, 3d,4lSt
Congress. S.5725 ~ Q03
1S72-Pres1dent Grant, 2i, 42d
Colgress.........>.. s27,9os ssY, sos
Total under Grant,. 1,sos,6s9 1929, 121
Grand total. as, 647 s47 1856 5O4, ss5
GRAND total oiyon hn