The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1885-03-19
The Homestead The Safety-Valve
Of the Republic

eminent, the absorption OF land by
corporations aud individuals is the
most serious. All republics start into
existence on q basis Of equal rights:
and IN equality in the land tenure
Il always considered the surest
foundation for the perpctuity Of true
rcpublicanism. TIL. history OF the
republics OF tho past Is filled with
warnings In regard to the pcrils
that menace Us at present. The
same cause will work out the same
result: the raEid accumulation Of
wealth Oh the one hand, with the
consequent poverty 1t inflicts on the
other, is fatal to all true republican
ism. In the latter days OF the
Roman soldiers who fought the bat
Ties Of the republic and won vast
treasures and land complained that
u few grasping patricians obtained
all the land. while the plebians who
furnished the rank and file of the
army were not owners OF enough
land to sustain them while living or
bury them when dead. For over
three hundred years they quarreled
and legislated over the Licenian
law: this proposed the Limitation Of
ownership in land to three hundred
and thirty three acres, the overplus
to be divided out among the landless
who would occupy and cultivate it.
Some OF the noblest citizens that
Rome ever produced fell victims to
the assassin's knife, instigated by
the patricians, for their advocacy
OF this law; but the land magnatcs
had too firm hold, and the empire
rose OH the ruins Of one u the
grandest republics the pen Of histo-
rian ever recorded,
Fellow citizens, Is ii not time to
pause and ask ourselves the question
is this typical OF the fate OF our Re
public? Are generations yet unborn
to write The epitadh Of our great
nation, died for want OF manhood
and true Independence? What a
contemplate position we are drift
ing into!' No other people ever
possessed the same advantage OF
enjoyed the same privileges we do
The footstep OF monarch never
polluted our soil. God has given
us the fairst heritage that any peo-
pie ever received, with everything
favorable for the perpetuity OF oul
grand Republic, and where are we
drifting to-day.
1 have now lying before me q
statement OF lands leased, owned
and controlled by foreign land com.
panies. It makes total OF over 20
SOC, 900 acres, and with this in con.
sidcra.ion that the armed forces OF
the Republic are engaged in driving
home steaders off their little plot.
Of land and burning their cabins
Yet the very leaders in this outrage
were elected to power ON q platform
that bore the following provision as
u conspicuous plank in their profes.
sion Of Republican equality: Re.
solved, that the public lands Of thu
United States belong to The people
and should not be sold to individu-
ills nor granted to corporations, Dut
should he held us q sacred trust fol
the benefit OF the people, and should
b. granted in limited quantities
free OF cost to landless settlers"
Here is o grand basis for our
homestead provision. only we should
be as liberal In treating our citizens
rs the emperor Of Russia is in treat
ing the emancipated serfs. These
are not only furnished land to cult
vnte in order to support their falni-
lies, but are granted loans on long
time and low interest in order to
improve their grants.
The homestead. limited to a valu-
alton VI $4,000, should be held
sacred from all claims, taxes includ-
ed, and it should be declared a
criminul offence for any person to
give, take, draw up or record a
mortgage against the homestead OF
poor mans goods exempted by law.
Let the taxes be raised off OF those
vast tracts OF land owned by foreign
ers. land companies and railroad
corporations. These parties demand
and receive the protection Of our
courts, aud should certainly con-
tribute their share In supporting
them. One means might be resorted
to in order to place limit to the
holding and fencing In OF vast tracts Of
land: that would be to declare every
section line public highway. This
would limit any one body to GAG
acres, and would provide a legiti.
mate highway to-every 50 acre lot
The absorption OF public lands
must be stopped and the lands held
for actual settlers, who should have
free transportation furnished them
and small loan to enable them to star
their farms. Napoleon well under
stood the fact that the perpetuity Of
Republican ideas in France depende,
on the distribution Of the lands among
the people. This was impressed
upon him by the celebrated motto o
Swiss republic: 1.-The land belongs I,
tn people" For a thousand years tina
principle has been maintained y.
that republic, and though surround
ed by the most powerful monarchic
In the world, who resort to every
means to crush them, yet they liv
to- day unconquered and uncOnquer
able and when Napoleon broke ii
the vast estate Of the French noble
and distributed them among tn
the peasants OF France he laid til
foundation OF true republcanisn
deep in the hearts ef the Frenc|
people, and France with her $500,
600 peasant, proprietors is one G
the firMest established government
on earth. England and her lords
dukes AMI money-lenders, her power
fnl army and immense navy are tot
itering to II fall: and well may W
take warning from her fate. TIL
question before us Is the same, sh al
the money-lenders and corporation
control our Government, or shall tn
masses be made independen
through Il fair ownership Of land b.
means of homcsteads.
SAMUEL SINNETT.
], Muscatine Iowa.
Red Cedar and Timber Tree Seed
'ings. Large stock, lowest plice,
Transplantcd Rcd Ce,lars tsnvr |,