The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-12-27
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, D. c.,

Whenever a howl goes up about
disturbing the Cuisines interests"
of the country it is certain to proceed
from some great monopoly or some
special class who fear that something
may be done to take away a portion
of the outrageous profits they are
flching the people. AS / stated last
week, there r indications Of a de
termination on the part of some
members of Congress, Republicans
as well as Democrats, to "disturb"
the "business" of some of the rail
road corporations which still hold on
to enormous land grants received
from the Government on conditions
they have failed to fulfil. The enor-
nous amount of these forfeited land
grants may be conceived wien it is
known that a single bill introduced
by that most excellent Republican.
Mr.. Payson, Of Illinois, repeats the
grant of a total of 4S,453,000 acres to
fourteen different corporations which
have defaulted. In addition to this,
Mr.. Cobb, of Indiana, a Democratic
Representative, has introduced a bill
to prohibit the Secretary of the In
terror from issuing patents for land
granted by the United States to aid
in the construction of railroads when
said railroads have not been complet-
ed within the time fixed by the yari-
Gus acts. Other measures have been
introduced which show that the
House is in earnest in its desire to
put a stop to this dangerous source of
public plumber.
1t is now generally admitted by
the best political economists that a
monopoly Of land is the most unjust
and intolerable Of all monopolies,
from the fact that the amount of soil
on the globe is fixed and limited. 1t
is well known that regions do not
prosper where large tracts ofland are
held by non resident capitalists. In
this country we have been accustom
ed to speak of the ''boundless West"
bat the statistics of the Land Office
show that the public domain in this
region is fast melting away. In Kan
sas, Nebraska, Arizona, and other
States and Territories, the greater
portion of the best lands have been
taken from the people aud bestowed
on railroad corporations. In Colo
RADIO there is very little desirable
land left. With the rapid settlement
o fthe West by the large foreign immi
grafton as we'll as from the Older
States, we shall before <long have a
scarcity of desirable land left for
actual settlers, unless they purchase
it of railroad corporations at what
ever price may he demanded. The
Government should, without delay,
provide against this evil by reclaim
ing all the forfeited grants. 1t is a
matter of IMPRACTICAL momentthat these
lands become the property OF actual
settlers who will improve them and
maintain a civilized state of society
in their respective localities, instead
of allowing them to be sold by the
railways in large tracts to foreign
capitalists for speculative purposes.
If the days of land "grabs" in this
country arc no. numbered they
should be.
Kiefer has at last got a quietus
from his republican associates. lie
came up smiiingly with q "vindica
ton" in tie denomination for Speak
err, and Immediately began to as
sumo the role of leader in the House
But this was rather too much for his
party friends, who had tolerated
him, for the sake of the party, in
spite of great dislike, and his knowr
bad odor with tho people. By al
most unanimous action on the floor
of the House, they on wednesday
last stood up and repudiated him
through a resolution be had brought
forward. Not one Of them cared ;
straw one way or the other for the
proposition under consideration, blu
it was Keiter they wanted to vote
down, and they did it with a venge
ance. The feeling against Keifer ha'
been growing daily ever since Con
gress assembled and IN opportunity
has been awaited to show him wher,
he stood. This creature of Robson
a coarse and clumsy blockhead will
no regard for decency or respect 70
public opinion, is now expected to re
tire to the rear. There has not beef
such an ass in politics in the mem
DRY of the oldest inhabitaut and i
will be q long time before the Speak
er's chair will see his like again.
+ A writer who has been %envolvin;
a great deal of nonsense lately, attri
butes the defeat of George q. Cor
ham for the Senate Secretaryship t.
the courtesy OF the Senate" II
says: 81 have seen ex-senator Davi,
Davis get up in the Senate and NOV
to adjourn, saying that his Dime
: hour had arrived. The Courtesy
8 would induce the Senate to adjourn
The Senate adjourns when an honor
able Senator has a dinner party; i
: adjourns for a horse race If an hon
orable Senator expresses a wish t
attend" This is all very true but
is not true, as he further says. tina
Gorham vas beaten because he la
. said Sc me bitter things against Sen
i ator Hoar and Dawes. These tx
. Senators opposed him, bus his mos
pronounced opponents we're me
against whom he had not said any
a thing. The things that caused CO.
: hams defeat are his conspicuou
r championship of Malone; his quar-
h rels with other journalists owe tina
odorous individual, and his u:tel
:. ances against the Garfield admins
tration, which are believed to hav
! not only helped to inspire the act c
Guiteau, but to have greatly %injure
the party. But what is TO bee come
the g. o. p. if it is thus bereft of leat
i ers? Star routes killed Dorsey, tn
noblest corruptionist of them all, an