Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1884-01-01
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent
w ASpINGrnN. December 20. 'S3.

VI
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 portion
of the outrageous profits they are fill
ching from the people. AS | stated
last week, there are indications of a
determination on the part OF some
members Of Congress, Republicans as
well as Democrats, to sdisturb" the
''business" Of some Of the railroad
corporations which still hold on to
enormous land grants received from
the Government on conditions they
have failed to fulfil. The enormous
amount of these forfeited land grants
may be conceived when it is known
that single bill introduced by that
most excellent Republican, Mr.. Pay
son, of Illinois, repeats the grant OF a
total of 48,453,O00 acres to fourteen
different corporations which have de-
faulted. In addition to this, Mr.. Cobb,
of Indiana, Democratic Representa-
tive, has introduced bill to prohibit
the Secretary of the Interior from is
suing patents for lands granted by the
United States to aid in the construc-
ton of railroads when said railroads
have not been completed within the
time fixed by the various acts. Other
measures have been introduced which
show that the House is in earnest in
its desire to put stop to this danger
Gus source Of public plumber
1t is now generally admitted by the
best political economists that a mo-
nopoly 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 of land are held
by nonresident capitalists. In this
country we have been accustomed to
speak of the ''boundless West" but
the statistics of the Land Office show
that the public domain in this region
is fast melting away. In Kansas, Ne
hraska, Arizona, and other States and
Territories, the greater portion and
the best lands have been taken from
the people and bestowed on railroad
corporations. In Colorado there is
very little arabic land left. With the
rapid settlement of the West by the
large foreign immigration as well 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
whatever price may be demanded.
The Government should, without de-
lay, provide against this evil by re-
claiming all the forfeited grants. Ii
is matter of practical moment that
these lands become the property OF
actual settlers who will improve them
and maintain civilized state of soci-
city in their respective localities, in
stead Of allowing them to be sold by
the railways in large tracts to foreign
capitalists for speculative purposes
II the days of ''land grabs" in this
country are not numbered they should
be.
kiefer has at last got quietus
from his Republican associates. He
came up smiling y with a ''vindication
IN the denomination for Speaker, and
immediately began to assume 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 known bad odor with the poo-
pie. BY almost unanimous action ON
The floor of the House, they stood up
and repudiated him, through reso-
luton he had brought forward. MOI
one OF them cared straw one way OF
the other for the proposition under
consideration, but it was Kiefer they
wanted to vote down, and they did Ii
with a vengeance. The feeling
against klefer has been growing dai-
ly ever since Congress assembled and
an opportunity has been awaited tc
show him where he stood This crea,
ture of Robson, a coarse and clumsy
blockhead with no regard for decenc,
or respect for public opinion, is now
expected to retire to the rear. There
has not been such an ass in politics il
the memory Of the oldest inhabitant
and will be a lonu time before the