Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-05-06
aserT LAMB GRANTS. wesscs
AkD FRAEDS.


We yish % cali attention to the bills
snicd have been passed by the Derpo-
cEssie lower House Of C0rRresa. forfeit
ing the une4rned railroad land grants.
q. when have bsen killed b. the Re-
puohc4n Senate. The AREA Of land am
crhcec Dy the bills, which is nos tied
" sna kspt from the people, and upou
shiea no eitszea San settle, IL astound-
hnR. IN r0and nambers over 49, ,:34s ,O0O
sefes OF land were embraced by tEese
Oils vnieh we're straugied by Senators
pfetenoinR 20 represent the people, bus
feaiiiy acting as tools Of the railroad
corporations, which have no legal or
eqaissble rights % the lands. hayiue
years ago forfeited The lands by total
failure 70 perform the conditions upou
whieh they we're originally granted to
them when some poof farmer sat
tied upon public land With bis FAM
NY, BE- II compelled, In order 70 pre-
serve bis homestead rights, % oom-
pig strictly with every requirement
OF the Law. and the Land Department
At Washington does NOS hesitate TO de-
clare forfeited all his rights IL there be
any laches on his part. Bat a different
rule has been established for the rail.
roads, There IL somethin0 too sacred
about their tenure sn the publie lands
for them TO be brought within the rule
established for private Individuals. The
pioneer--fhe farmer with his family
Sho seeks 90 settle upon and improve
lso aafes of lands held 10 a strict ae-
coanfability; but the railroads. Who are
grabbing for 100000 acres. are pro-
tecied and every ruling possible made
10 thelr favor. In word, the farmer
aud the railroad are judged from diff
fer,snt standpoints. The Law which il
good enough for the farmer-Qood
encuRh fpr the man who wishes TO take
up LOO acres as 3 homestead-is not
good enough for the railroads. II has
bean held that these railread grants,
although loBg sincs forfeited, cannot be
thrswn open to the public BY the Land
Department. bot that it requires Cos
Rfessional legislation TO declare them
forfeited and permit people to settle
upon them. At the same time il
sesEns 10 be competent for the Land De-
paTlment al Washington 10 issue 20
the railroads patents for theseisntical
lands: that is TO say, while the Land
Department cannot decide for the peo.
pie. ID may decide for the railroads.
This anomaly is strikineiy illustrated
IN The action Of Teller. the late Score
tarY Of the Interior. who, a day or two
before the expiration Of the late Re-
puhlicsn administration, issued patents
for millions of acres to railroads. The
100000 OF acres held back by she
Senstors for the benefit Of the railroads
after they had been forfeited, and 80
declared by the House of Representa-
tiyes, ~ land enough for an empire.
These lands are more than are embraced
by ireland and scotland. They are
more acres Of land than are eontaiped
70 the States OF Connecticut, Delaware,
Maryland, Massachusetts,, New Hamp-
shire, New Jersey, Rhode Island. Yer
mont and the District of Columbia
combined. These States now support
and furnish homes for over 5. 500, 900
people, although In area they are less by
1900 600 acres than the lands embraced
by the land grant bills We have men
toned.