Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1884-10-31
FREE LANDS AND HOMES.
Secretary alcPherson's Review Of
Wise Republican Legislation.

Secretary Mcpherson, in answer to
various letters asking for information :
concerning land grant legislation, has
prepared a statement. showing the
position taken by both the Republican
and Democratic parties with respect
to the granting OF lands to aid the con-
struction of railroads. He reviews the
history of land grant legislation from
the administration of John Quincy
Adams, when the United States first
adopted the policy of granting alser-
nate sections of land to states in aid
of public improvements. The first
grant was made to Indiana and Ohio,
in aid of the Wabash and Erie Canal
| in 1927. From that date to 1861,
numerous acts were passed granting
land to states and corporations, and
were approved by various Democratic
presidents. The aggregate number OF
acres thus granted was $4,000, 900, of
which Alabama received $500, 900
Arkansas, 100000; Illinois a,5oo,-
600; Indiana $500, 900 Kansas 4,5oo,-
600 louisiana 1900, 900 Florida 81
600, 900; Michigan 1900, 900; Mime
sofa 12.5oo,ooo; Mississippi a,ooo,-
900; Missouri 1000, 900; and Wlscon-
sin nearly 5000, 900.
These grants were all for purposes
local to stales in which the corpora
tons were created In 1879. when 1t
was proposed to construct railroads
through the territories to the Pacific
{ Ocean, the grants were made directly
: to the corporations. The first was to
J the Union Pacific and Central Pacific
J, Railroads; the next to the Northern
Pacific, and the next to the Atlantic
> and Pacific, and the last to the Texas
{ and Pacific. These grants aggregat-
d ed 100000 acres. In some cases
o the conditions have not been complied
with, and bills declaring the grants for.
u feited have passed one or both house:
y !, of Congress. Since 1871 no new grant:
q have been made, nor are any likely te
.. be made, all parties having declared
IL thata sufficient amount of the public
5 domain has been gwen for the pur
~ pose of improving the transportation
as facilities of the people. He shows b,
&c the records that the question of max
II, N ing grants was never partisan one
III and cites as an instance to sho'
10 how little partisanship entered int
G this legislation the fact that Samuel
NC Randall failed to vote upon the ques
ng ton of passage ofthe Northern Pacifi
u gran. in 1864, the largest OF all, bein
III tor about $1,000, 900 acres, there wa
el no recorded opposition in the Senate
81 and the majority in the House wa
nc twenty-four votes. The votes wer
o. divided between the two parties, abo,
u. in the proportion of their RESPECTIVE
nc strength in the two houses.
ny Coincident with the passage of tn
ni- first railroad grant to the Pacif
Tg Road, the Republican party place
H. upon the statute books the Homestea
w. law, under which to this date 663,72
lo- independent entries have been mad
The land thus actually taken no /
on settlers amounts in the aggregate
we over 5000, 900, acres. This benei
VS. cent act was perslstently refused /
,es the Democratic party when in powe
ho and vixen the Thirty. sixth Congre
as a., passed a modified Homestead a
VIZ President Buchanan vetoed it upe
VI the ground of its unconstitutional
y The existing Homestead act was OF
10y of the first approved by Abraha
Us Lincoln.