The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-08-30
4 Hollow Lie.

From 1854 to 1871, as well as for
some years before and after, the Re-
publicans enjoyed full control of both
branches of Congress. Schuyler Col
fax, of Credit Mobilier notoriety, was
Speaker of the House from December
Z. 1868, to March 3. 1863. and was sue
seeded by James G. Blaine, who held
the Office until March 8. 1875.
From 1864 to 1875 these successive
Republican Congresses voted away
296, 000. 600 acres of the choicest public
lands as subsidies to railroad corpora
tons. Does the reader realize the
magnitude of the figures? New York
II an extensive State, its area being 3d.
SOC, 900 acres. Nearly ten such States
could be established from the public
territory bestowed-most of it corrupt
lyon favored rings Of spectators by
the representatives of the grand old
party OF Colfax and Blaine.
1t was on account of his ruling which
saved one of those grants at a critical
moment that Blaine wrote his memora-
BILE letter to Fisher. reciting his services
and claiming his compensation therefor.
Ostensibly the public domain was
thus squandered in order to hasten the
development of the West and to open
up markets for the hardy agricultural
pioneer. The first grant of all was GER
tainly voted to assist in the completion
of what was then deemed military
necessity for the preservation Of the
Union; but the subsequent large grants,
almost without exception. were palpable
steals which were carried through Con-
gress by wholesale bribery. In many
Instances the bride of votes was paid in
stock or bonds of the embryo railroad
whose capital was to be furnished
wholly from the sale of the lands
sought for.
These lavish subsidies so stimulated
railroad construction as to make it the
prime factor in precipitating the panic
of 1873. The completion of some of the
lines was checked; others were never
begun at all. Consequently, under the
saving clauses inserted in the grants
through the efforts of Congressman
Holman and handful of faithful col
leagues, many millions of the misap-
propriated acres have become forfeit to
the Government. During the past four
years, Representatives Holman. Cox,
Payson and others have labored
zealously to make the forfeitures eff
fective, but the Republicans have ad
recourse to every subterfuge and even
fraud in order to keep the unearned
lands in possession of the corporate
beneficiaries. We say ''fraudn de-
liberately, for no milder word is APP
propriate to the action of Jay Gould's
puppet and Blaine's henchman Reed, Of
Maine, who with the aid of Keller,
smothered in the last Congress the COM
mittee report, recommending the for
FIXTURE of Gould's Texas Pacific IL, 4OO,-
OO0-acre grab. which it was his duty as
Chairmen to present to the House.
BY dint of tireless agitation of this
subject for five years, and the publicity
given to it by honest newspapers, the
people have now come to appreciate its
importance, and we find the Chicago
Republican Convention unblushingly
adopting the subjoined resolution:
The public lands are heritage of the pco-
pie of the United States. and should be re-
served, as far as possible, for small holdings
by actual settlers. We are opposed to the &C.
QUESTION OF large tracts of these lands by cor
porations OF individuals especially where
aliens. and we will endeayor to obtain such
legislation rs will tend to correct this evil. We
demand OF congress the speedy forfeiture of
all land grants which have iapsed BY reason
Of non compliance with Acts of incorpora-
ton, In all cases where there has been no at
tempt in good faith to perform the conditions
Of such grants.
OF what value is such promise ema-
mating from such source? 1t is the
pledge of the fox to restore the chickens
it has eaten. The last Republican Con-
gress voted down every forfeiture re-
sol ton submitted to it. We see the
Republicans in the present House alb
senting themselves and preventing .
quorum when forfeiture bill is called
up. We see the Republican Senate
smothering the more important for
fixture bills which the Democrats in the
House have contrived to pass We see
the Interior Department., with the
sanction Of the President. issuing bush
els of patents for railroad lands never
lawfully earned. Does anybody i'm
agine for moment that Blaine would
introduce different policyP
The Gould Huntington (Texas Pa
cific) land grant alone, for uhich not
solitary mile Of rail has erer been laid,
is valucd at $40, O0O, 900. 1t is not then
surprising that the corridors of the Cap
itol are over-run with lobbyists jealous
ly striving to defeat the forfeitures. De-
nouncing them openly in the House,
Mr.. Cobb, of Indiana, Chairman of the
Public Lands Committee, said: "Iharc
M. doubt that, had / 50 desired IL, Icould
hrvc secured one million dollars for con-
Certing my committee to a nor'-fo-feit-
ing policy"
Where hundreds of millions are at
stake. the Immigrant grabbers will not
hesitate to provide ample '.soap'' for
the election of Blaine. They know him,
and they know that the platform pledge
il hollow lie.-N Y Star.
A Recalcitrant Republican Newspaper.
James G. Blaine has at length cap
ks1rod q Presidential non, IN tsOx. fv>r>vv,