St. Landry democrat., 1885-07-18
OPELOUSAS
Saturday July 18th, 1885.
The Backbone Land Grant.

of the 18th inst, from Hon. +, L. Lewis
to the Secretary of the Interior.
1t concerns the rights of the settlers
upon the Backbone land grant and al
though the subject has become, in the
minds Of some, almost threadbare, the
settlers and general readers will find
much in the letter of vital interest.
Mr.. Lewis shows conclusively that the
lands occupied and settled prior to Oc-
tober 81, 1881, were not granted to the
railroad company at all; that in fact
these lands were expressly excepted in
the granting act itself; that they were
illegally Withdrawn from entry in 1872
and 1873 by the commissioner OF the
General Land Office that though the
settlers have the first and best right to
their homesteads they have, not only
been denied the right of entry, but
even a hearing of their claims and he
has shown moreover, that Of the many
applications made by homesteaders to
enter their lands no record has been
kept in the land Office at New Orleans
as reqdired by law.
1t is more than manifest that the en-
tire administration Of this land grant
from the date Of its passage has been in
the exclusive interest of the railroad
companies and always against the in
disputable rights Of the settler. A feel
ing Of indignation must take possession
Of any one who reads the plain state
ment of the grievances these people
have been made to suffer, for fear that
rich corporations might possibly be de-
priyed Of lands not granted to them.
Is it not a little singular that the
Louisiana delegation (before Mr.. Lewis
was elected to Congress) at least those
Of them who swear by the Blanchard
and Robertson agreement, did not look
into this matter little deeper before
they bartered away so hastily the
rights of the settlers If Mr.. Lewis is
correct, of which we think there is no
doubt, the settlers were amply protect
ed under the law and if the delegation
had insisted upon it's enforcement there
would have been no necessity for such
an agreement. There would have been
no basis for such negotiation and it |
would never been heard of because, If
the law had been enforced, the settler
would have been permitted to enter his |
homestead. AS it was he was
denied this right and the delegation, in
stead of insisting upon it, yielded to the
demands of the railroad and would have
us believe they did the settler an inn
mense service in securing him right
to buy his 100 acres at $500 per acre,
when the very law under which the
railroad claims the land, secures this
100 acres to him for $25.
From this point Of view it is not to be
wondered at that the Railroad Compa-
ny readily agreed to take $500 per acre
for lands that do not belong to them,
and that they make much ado over their
supposititious generosity to the settler,
but it is to be wondered at that our
Congressman never looked deeper into
the matter to find this out.
Mr.. Lewis certainly gives food for
reflection not only to the settler, but to
the authors Of that agreement and we
hope that his persistent efforts in behalf
Of the settlers will result in securing to
them their just rights.
TE 4ho caoro+orx, oe AZ =,
look into the matter as it is his plain
duty to do, he will surely give the relief
manifestly needed by these poor peo-
pie.
That they will ultimately be accorded
theirrights by the Observation-Disclosures
will, we think, become more apparent
from a recent decision Of the present.
Commissioner Of the General Land Of
fee. Hon VIM. a. Sparks, which we
take from the dispatches Of the Times
Democrat of the 14th inst. It is as
follows:
An IMPORTANT DECISION BY LAND CoMMrs-
sIoEER SPARKS.
WASHINGTON, July Island Commissioner
Sparks Ras rendered uecIS!on anlrlnlng the
fight of entry under the public land laws. and
decisions OF the Supreme Caurt of the United
states, of lands heretofore withdrawn by The
action OF the General Land Office for
abroad indemnity purposes, where no require
nent of law existed for making such with !
Irawais. The effect Of this decision, If sus-
aimed by the Secretary of the Interior, will be !
o restore to entry, under the homestead and
Their laws many million of acres of public land :
yhich have been kept out OF the market for !
1any years because claimed by railroad corpo- !.
ationss