Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-09-08

that rear Congress passed what i known
a. tie SCAMP Laso sct- Ia gave 10 zoe
States. foe ths osteeslhse porposs OF
fsising nsosey for erainsss. lsTses and
p1siis Improvement, the prcceeds 20 se
derived from tne sales of ;os swamp
isnds. There we're Do restrictions zpon
the oEscials 10 the States - % TIE
starse etc. Of tbese isnds- sorns OF tne
b@si lads IN the States bass ten es-
ssrfbed a swamp land and sod "a
.cruuuIo1s STATE officials have eoouiveo
sith spectators, ~ that tie scyip has
been the means Of enabling capitalists
20 obtain great tracts Of laEd 10 sore
Of the best states in tbs Cnion- There
vas one czs@ reported nss long sgo 70
the Land O-fiee from Colorado, sbsfs u
Vas shown that : very large trsct OF
land. 600 fess above the level OF TIE
SEA, had been surveyed and sold a.
swamp land. IL vas q regular table
land, thoYOagsIy drained, and the only
sxeuse for cali ng 10 swamp lssd sas toe
fact tbas there vas . spring II one cor
ney Of the tract.
The pabilo lands csn Be acquired BY
poof men today through pre- mption
and under what 10 knOwu a. the home
stead act The general Dre-emption iaS
vas passed in Is4l. The point Of the
ore suptiou act Is that where q man
settles upon public land. and remains
there sTx months. be has the night oil
entry against any one else upVn the pay
meus Of the Government prics for socn
land. To prove bis actual occupancy 10
~ necessary for him 10 build hsose
and 10 prove that be intends to remain
aeon the land In good faith in order 10
.oaaire the title. The act OF ls4l sss
tbs direct result OF the agitation daring
Andrew Jackson q time. PrssIdent sck-
son, 10 l<5Z. in message 70 Congress,
advocated the free gift Of land TO actual
settlers. Ne dveit good deal at length
upon the good effect Of such policy in
giving land 20 the lsndiess." Martin
Van Barren advocated the same lice OF
policy. The neoessity fer some leRisis-
zion upon tie subject Vas made appar
toward the Gloss of Jsckson's admins
trntion, when II was shown, 10 one OF
the reports mads TO Congress at that
date, that over eight millions Of the most
productive of the public lands bad
passed isto the hands OF non-resideBt
specalataYs. The cry Of "land for the
Iandless," advocated by Jackson, vas
taken % later by tue Abolitionists. IL
vent hand INLAND with the crusade
against slavery. /, took fully three
quarters OF n csnturY, however, 70 bring
absui this reform Of giving land free 10
actual settlers The first homestead
bill vas introduced 10y Andres johnson
IN 1870. Is Was passed by the Thirty
sixth Congress, bat Presid, ut Buchanan
vetoed It, He thought be sa~ IN 1t a
menace 90 tbs slave labor Of the South.
On tho 10Th of May. 1852. tue homestead
act bscane q Law. IL has never been
modified or repealed. Under that wise
act any man can obtain 100 acres OF
land by first living upon IL six months
and then giving notice of his occupancy
At the Registers office. After fiye years
Of occupation, on the payment OF tli
for the making out Of necessary pxpers
ssd official fees, title to the land 10
gwen 10 him.
In 1878 timber act was passed, Civ.
ing land to settlers uho would plant a
certain number Of trees upon public
land occupied by them for the space OF
eight years. Tnn act has been chssny
the cover for fraud, and Is Of no rea
advantage 20 the honest class Of home
steadeTs.
(Coafis,aed tomorrow.