Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-08-15
DAILY POST. IATElLGENCER.


LAND Grabbing.
Il il the policy of the United States
Government, in disposinR OF the puoiic
lands, TO limit the amount that ssouio
be acquired by the individual eI'izen'
The homestead, pre- emption, timber
purchase and timber culture acts are
based upon this principle. Exception
has been made in the desert land ac''
and large tracts have been acquired IN
California under the provisions OF an
s;ant Spanish grants. But the theory
adopted by the general Government Is
that in individual ownership OF limited
Quantities of land lies the true interest
NJ the country. 1t is impossible. WITH
ont fraud, to obtain at first hands from
tho Government d large area of its LAND.
Combinations are made, 1t 10 true, oy
which many thousand acres are consoii-
dated under one ownership, but IN all
cases such result is accomplished In vio-
lation of the spirit and usually the let
ter Of the law.
Enough has been written concerning
the tendencies of land monopoly to con-
vince the most skeptical that 1t 10 inim-
ical Tn the best interests of newly settled
communities, and we are warned by ex-
istino conditions in older and more
densely populated governments that the
aggregation of vast tracts Of land under
individual Ownership is fruitful source
of discomfort, of poverty and of crime.
II tends to the institution Of perpetual
landlordism and the creation of class
of tenants who, except in name, are
slaves.
The most signal exception 70 this pol
ICY Of disposing of the public lands only
10 actual settlers and in small tracts Is
found in the vast grants made by the
Government in aid of building rail-
roads. Even in these grants the princi-
pie Ia recognized by alternating granted
sections with those retained, the evident
intention being to render it difficult to
acquire large and compact bodies OF the
public domain. In a purely agricultu-
raj country this provision is to some ex-
tent effectual, although by purchase OF
the Government under existing laws
and of the railroad companies consid-
cradle area in one body can be obtained.
The obvious intent of the Government
In alternating granted sections with
those retained WAS TO foster the policy
Of land holding by actual settlers.
In grazing countries, and In regions
where water is scarce and cultivation of
land can be successfully carried on oaly
by means of irrigation, ownership or con-
troll of springs, small lakes and streams
Ia indispensable. Without water, or
access TO il, the land is valueless for
agriculture, and stock cannot be raised.
This Is true of Wyoming, Utah and
Nevada, through which the Union and
Central Pacific railroads extend. Re
GENTLY these companies have been max
ing sales of vast quantities of their
lands. The Union Pacific last month
sold to one company 10000 acres and
TO another COG, 600 acres. and other syn
dioates are negotiating for mere. The
Central Pacific, following the same
course, has just sold 10000 acres to one
company in Nevada and 200, 900 acres
in Utah to another company. These
latter sales being primarily for stock
raising purposes are, perhaps, not 30
much to be be deprecated as the former,
where ii is openly avowed the purchase
WAS made for speculation in the land
itself, either by leasing or selling ii to
immigrants. II thus results that the
gift Of the government is used to defeat
its policy with respect to land owner
ship end places intending immigrants
at the mercy of syndicates of land
sharks and spectators. There is no
help for this 30 far al the Union and
Central Pacific companies are con-
cerned, az by building their lines of
railroad according to law they have
earned the land granted them. Il is
still possible, however, to prevent the
Northern Pacific from pursuing simi-
lar course, as more than two thirds Of
its land grant has not been earned.