The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-06-26
Land.Grant Plumber.

LdHd.Grant Plumber.
From 1864 to 1871, as we'll 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, 1869, and was sue
eeeded by James G. Blaine, vino held
the office until March 8. 1875.
From 1864 to 1875 these successive
Republican Congresses voted away
296, O0O, 900 acres of the choicest public
lands as subsidies to railroad corpora
tons. Does the reader realize the
magnitude of the figures? New York
is an extensive State, its area being 3d.
100000 acres. Nearly ten such States
could be established from the public
territory hestowed-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 critical
moment that Blaine wrote his memora-
bic letter to Fisher, reciting his services
and claiming his compensation there
for.
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 a 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 h adj
recourse to every subterfuge and even
fraud in order to keep the unearned
lands in possession of the corporate
beneticiaries. We say fraud" 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
Keifer, smothered in the last Congress
the committee report, recommending
the forfeiture of GOuld's Texas Pacific
-. 400, 000-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 peo-
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 ac
QUESTION of large tracts of these lands by cor
porationS OF individuals, especially where
such holdings are in the hands of nonresident
aliens. and we will endcavor to obtain such
leg Station as will tend to correct this evil. We
demand of congress the speedy forfeiture of
all land grants which have lapsed by reason
of noncompliance 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-
solution submitted to it. We see the
Republicans in the present House alb
senting themselves and preventing a
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 q moment that Blaine would
introduce different policy?
The Gould-HuntingtOn (Texas Pa
clfic) land grant alone, for chich not a
solitary mile of rail has eDer been laid.
is ratued at $40, 100000. 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: "IhaUe
no d2uGt that, had / so desired ii, could
hqre secured one million. dollars for con-
Uerting my committee to q no11-foyJett
ing policy"
Where hundreds of millions are at
stake, the land grant grabbers will not
hesitate to provide ample soap for
the election of Blaine. They know him,
and they know that the platform pledge
is a hollow lie.-N. y. Star.
What Charles f. Adams. Jr.. Saws.