The National tribune., 1886-02-25
HoMEsrEAps FOR SOLDIERS.

We have received from Iseminger Post,
No. 1S, of Charlton, Iowa, circular letter
relating TO soldiers and sailors homesteads,
and the following communication
The undersigned committee appointed by Ise-
minger Post, No. Is GAR, would msst respect
fully call your attention TO the accompanying
soldiers aud sailors homestead memorial" most
sincerely Hoping that the suggestions therein adj
vanced will meet with yonr fullest approval, and
that you will fit to use yoJ' influence towards
secnring the passage Of law by Congress i'll har-
nlony Herewith. That the object and aim of the
memorial may be well understood, we offer the
following brief panation of the several PROPOSE
tions. follows:
First. 1t provides homestead for all Union SOL
diers and sailors, the most reasonable terms,
without deiriment 20 the public welfare.
Second. 1t absolutely prevents the ready disposal
of the land to speculators and gives the claimant
ample time to settle thereon.
Third 1T viii hold a portion of the public agri
cultural lands in for the rising generation,
especially sons of veterans, many of whom will ia
tc near future feel disposed to go forth and build
up homes upon the virgin soil
Fourth 1t will prevent large portion Of the
public domain from passing into possession OF a
class of foreigners, who are daily landing upon
our shores for the sole purpose of taking advan-
tage Of our homestead privileges by simply deciar-
ing their intentions to become citizens. and mme-
diateIy taking a prc-emption, homestead, etc.
Fifth. It affords equal benefits to those who do
not want land with those that do.
Sixth. The issuing of Government bonds instead
Of money would be both safe and convenient for
minor heirs Of The veterans, and others who might
desire investment for future purposes.
Seventh. While the yearly expense Of the re-
quired cultivation would be comparatively light.
tie value of the land would thereby be greatly
enhanced in the end.
Eighth. We are further Of the opinion that under
this plan greater per cent of actual settlement
would obtain than under the existing law and land
speculative schemes would be correspondngy
| less.
Having the most implicit faith in the business of
this claim ofour former comrades-in-arms. and fully
relying upon the good faith of our Government, we
! have no hesitancy in submitting this humble
petition to its impartial Judgment.
/ Respectfully, yours,
| s.; s.. WOW: SesxAnn: committee.
| q. A. BARTHOLOMEW, J
We recognize in its entirety the justice Of
the claim made by the comrades of Isemin-
ger Post, and they support that claim with
! arguments of unusual force. There is no
denying the weight of these. The main
objection that we have to the plan out
lined, or that any of the comrades can have
to pushing the matter at this session, is on
the ground Of expediency. 1t is not ques-
! ton of what the soldiers Of this country
get, and we say in reply to this, as we have
said in answer to the advocates of service
pensions and other plans, that we think il
unwise TO distract the efforts of those work
ing for the soldier at this session Of Congress
from the plans which are more promising o
success. We reiterate our belief that tn.
most good can be accomplished by unitin.
everybody upon a measure which will EN-
body the recommendations of the Nationa
Pension Committee, GAR.
If we can secure the passage of bill
embodying these at this session, it will d,
an immense amount of good and reliey'
more distress than anything else that w,
can do. Nor will the passage of such a bill
prejudice our success in getting the Othe
things, such as the service pension and tn,
> homestead law, which the soldiers desire
: We will be in just as good shape to ge
these after the passage of this bill as W.
were before, and consequently it seems tn,
RI plainest of common sense that we should al
. mite upon it and suffer nothing to divid,
our forces and distract our energies until i
is accomplished, when we can then proceed
| with more confidence to other measures.
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