The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-06-30
CAREY HAS THE FLOOR,
AND TALKS IN FAVOR OF THE PRES
EMIT LAND SYSTEM.

SPARKS Rulings Attacked by Laird, Who
IN Tu,n Il, Charged by Cobb with Being
ImpiicatsA IN Land Frauds--A Bii
Passed Over tho Presidents Veto
Washington City Items.
WASHINGTON CITY, June 30 The house
Monday, INDUCED in a sharp debate on the
land fraud question, and Laird OF Nebraska
made an attack on Commissioner Sparks
for his rulings. Cobb OF Indiana read q
letter charging Laird with being impli
Gated in the frauds Laird denounced the
letter as false, aud the two gentlemen ex
changed few warm personalities
Carey OF Wyoming said that it is known
that not many million acres of arabic landl
remain; that they had not been stolen by
individuals under either the homestead
imberculture, pre- emption, or desert land
laws; that not one third OF the 600 0oo, DOC
acres disposed of had been patented under
these laws; that congress was responsible,
not the pioneers Of the west; that congress
had voted to railroad companies over 100,
O00,00 acres and had given away under
the swamp act 5000 $50 acres, 60, 0O0,-
900 acres in bounties to the soldiers
and sailors, 27,O00,0o0 acres under the grad
uation act, 10000, 900 acres fer educational
purposes, and 100000 acres for various
internal improvements. If the public do
main had been despoiled it was by these acts
OF congress, Mr. Carey said cong ress
should label its contemplated leg
islation bills to prevent the set.
tlement of the great west" The results
attained during the past twenty years west
of the Missouri river, north of the Indian
territory, south of the British possessions,
and east of the main range of the Rocky
mountains speak louder than assertions
that could be made saying that the people
of this section were thieves and
perJurers. Kansas in 1854 had suf-
ferod as much as any BORDER state She
had less than 10000 population, She had
to-day nearly 100000 of people and
$500, 00O,60 OF wealth Without mile of
railroad in 1864. she hao 5,o0j miles to-day.
Colorado, with 1900 population in 1870,
had today $4,000, with Sl500O0,00o OF
wealth and 5000 miles of railroad Ne.
braska, admitted twenty years ago with
10000 people, had to-day $4,000 people
so, 0LO0 900 of wealth, and over 5000 miles
Vi DuhotSt, pOSstSSiHS
100000 of population, great wealth, and
enough miles of ra lroad to reach from New
York city to san Francisco, without any
actual representation here, has not even
been given a bearing IN this end of the cap
itoL
Carey said there could not have been a
better land system to develop and make the
nation great
lPayson OF Illinois said that SO far Us
the order of Commissioner Sparks of April
3, 1879, was concerned, he, MS a member OF
the committee on public lands, was con
suited with reference to the propriety Of
its issuance, he had advised and counseled
that it should be issued, and he stood by
that order to-day. The only regret that
he had in connection with that order was
until to-day. lie hoped that the
time would never come in his poli;ica
experience t at he would fail to render Just
ice TO IA man if of opposite party when
he was striving to do his duty, us ommis
sioner Sparks was endeavoring 10 do II
was said that Sparns was an enthusiast
He was an enthusiast: but his enthusiasm ir
reference to this question was in favor OF
the poor man who desired to receive home
from his country. He added that the let
ters denounciug Sparks were written. by
men stepped in fraud, and be was sorry that
the secretary of the interior had not kept
Sparis order i'll existence