Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1886-05-28
TIE PrRLIc DonAIN

land system that the agricultural lands
Of the nation shall be parted with,
without cost, to be held in small tracts,
10y actual settlers only, for the purpose
OF cultivation by the owner, securing
thereby the thrift of the citizen and
economy In his management which
ownership stimulates" 49,.
The report submits that this policy
should become the national one. The
experience of so many thousands of
American people IN securing homes in
the vast area Of public lands has been
so successful that the desire for owner
slip of a home capable of producing
support for the family is more univer-
sal here than in any country in the
world.
This, the report says, was the preva-
lent idea when the homestead law, one
Of the most benefcent acts ever adopted
by congress, was passed. 1t was the
duty of the government to furnish to
its people cheap homes, to aid actual
settlers whose labor would make the
land fruitful and productive, giving
added wealth to the locality and stabil-
ity and strength to the country.
The government, the report contin-
ues had magnificent possession in the
public domain of that time, which, un-
der proper management, would have
afforded grand results for generations
to come. Areas Of land sufficiently
large to make grand estates, were do
mated with reckless liberality to rail-
road and other corporations, and by a
lax, easy administration Of injudicious
laws, men of wealth and companies
have been illegally permitted to acquire
other great areas Of public lands; and
now this generation has seen the vast
territory so reduced that less than five
million acres of agricultural land, upon
which crops can be raised without irri-
CATION, remain for the settler under the
general land laws Of the United States,
and about fifty millions of acres only
OF lands susceptible of improvement by
irrigation.
These lands, the report declares, be-
coming more and more valuable, year
by year, and, tempted by the promise
sure to be realized of immense Tr f.s,
as well as the absolute security of the
investment, these lands, by devious
methods, in many cases, have been Sc
cured in great areas and holdings by
capitalists and corporations, foreign as
well as domestic. In the hands Of many
of these foreign owners and holders
these lands are made subject to sys-
TEN of landlordism and conditions to-
tally un-American, and kindred to that
existing in the old world, systems and
conditions which have spread ruin and
misery wherever they have existed in
Europe. Besides this, out of the her,
itage OF the American people, the com
mon property Of this nation, its public
lands, the coming of immense fortune:
by foreign nobility and gentry, at the
expense of the American people, is be
ing permitted, and these foreigners are
given control of the homes and hAppi
ness of thousands Of citizens, or those
who have come here to identify them.
selves with the nation.
AS an illustration of this, published
statement, showing that 90, 747 900 acres
of land are held by foreigners, is appen.
ded. Among the large holders men,
toned are the Marquis of Tweedale
Sir Edward Reid, the Holland Compa-
ny, and several foreign syndicates, the
possessions of each numbering millions
of acres. There is no question, the re,
port says, as to the power of congress
over the subject. England exercised
during all the years of her progress, and
has only recently granted the right t.
hold real estate there to aliens. The
question of how cheap homes for the
poor can best be secured, will soon bt
upon the nation. AT the present rate
of disposition, this generation will SEE
the last acre of public land worth TAX
ing for home, by farmer, disposed of
In conclusion the report gives the fol.
lowing summary of the work of the
committee during the present session
1.-The committee has devoted its best
efforts and most earnest endeavors to
perfect and present to the house for lis
consideration and action such measures
as in its judgment would reclaim such
lands as had been improvidently grant
ed corporations, and to which they are
not entitled; also for the repeal of such
laws as render possible the improper
acquisition of great areas of land from
the government, and to preserve what
it had and should reclaim of the public
lands as a reservoir to be drawn upon
by the actual settler, without cost, i'm
homesteads. We do this because we
believe that not only the fostering of
the home sentiment and individual
prosperity would result, but, in addi-
ton, because we believe there is no
greater safeguard against public dis
order, tumults and riots than gener-
ally distributed ownership of lands and
homes"
The bill which the report accompa-
MES, provides that no alien or foreigner
who has not declared his intention TO
become citizen of the United States,
nor any corporation, one-tenth of whose
stock is owned or controlled by aliens
OF foreigners, shall have the right to
acquire real estate in any of the terri
tories of the United States. The bill
has been agreed upon by the committee
and will probably be reported one day
this week.