The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-02-07
WAs TT 6oHooL LANDl

HAO II OGAOOL L<AAO
We hope those who may feel inter-
ested in the matter enough 70 know the
truth will note the points we make
in this article and investigate for them
selves.
In 1856 the legislature of Kansas
passed law giving TO four certsin rail-
roads 100000 acres of govOrnment
land which had beCn given TO the state
in aid Of internal Improvements. I'm
mediately great cry was raised by
those who were not locally benefited
By the d. slribuiioD made BY the legisla-
ture of this land, that the common
schools had been robbed-that this land
belonged to the common school fund Of
Raosas. and that the legislature had
stolen 1t from them for the benefit Of
railroads. This cry has been re-echoed
in almost every political campaign
since 1866. Sometimes It is used Ignor.
antlY, end sometimes II 10 used for mere
political purposes. The facts show that
this land never belonged TO the common
schools. and could not have been
used for that purpose had the Legislature
desired 50 to appropriate the money aris-
log from It's sale. We have often been
surprised that well informed Kansas Pc
-pers keep repeating, year afttr year, this
stale chsrge, that this 100000 acres of
land WIS tiken from the common
schools. The Troy Chief, THE News.
lwhose editors were members Of the leg
Islature, and who both voted for the bill
giving the land to railroads and other
papers have from Time to time explained
The matter in full, at d yet this old cry OF
T 'bb,ng the school fund.- il cutting Q
figure in the present political contest In
the Second district. and such papers a.
the Kansas City journal and the Atch-
Ison Champion have cOnia ned the sia'e-
ment that Mr.. Riggs aided in stealing
from the common schools 500 900 acres
of Land.
Where did Kansas get this 10000
acres of land? A law OF congress pass-
e s .piemb.r A. 1S41, answers the ques.
tinn, ard also says distinctly for what
purpose 1t was given. Section OF that
Law says: There sballbegranted TO each
state spf cited In the first section Of this
act, five hundred thousand acres Of land
for purposes Of internal imprODezentsn'
. Aud there shall be and is
hereby granted to each new state that
shall be hereafter adnlith d into the un.
Ion," etc. etc. ''for purposes Of internal
Improvement, etc 1--we hundred thous.
and acres of land" Section OF the
same act of congress- provides that the
land thus granted shall net be disposed
of at less than $1.25 per acre, and that
the net proceeds Of the sales OF such
lands shalt be FAITHFULLY applied to %.
jScts Of internal Improvement, namely,
roads. railroads, etc.
Move II Is true that the ordinance OF
our constitution in section z, provided
that this land "shall be granted TO The
state for the support of common schools"
In the act of admission of the state into
the union congress excepted this section
Z. II was doubtless the intention of
the constitutional convention to get this
100000 acres of land for schools and az
forwards TO get another 100000 for inter-
nal improvements, but congress did not
intend that this should be done. We
suppose It will hardly be maintained that
sscLiCn 2 of the ordinance of our consti-
tuition, could repeal the law of congress
of 1S41, and unless il did that land could
only belong TO the a'e for Internal i'm.
prUEements. The claim that the CON-
mon set oil fund was robbed when the
law Of 1866 was passed, is made through
Ignorance or willfui Misrepresentation.
The fact that the railroads took this
land AMI held ii and sofa 1t on
the title obtained from the state, and
that no suit was ever brought by state
authority t. ke p the TO ds ircm Obtain
ing tie Is a sufficient answer to such
bosh rs this annual or semi.Annual howl
about robbing the comm IN schools.