Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-05-19

10 anyone, except there Is a reason for the
act that wears the regalia of the highest
benefit to the country. There may have
been some unwisdom in the past in here
and there an Act or decision in the admin
istration of the public lands, and in some
respects it is undeniable that there have
been mistakes, but so far as lands have been
used to make them easy of requirement BY
the people, to further the opening up of
the country and the fostering of its chief
industries, it is safe to say that the history
of the future will not, in the calm review
of the middle period of this century, con-
denim the policy that by disposition of a
portion of the public lands rendered the
immensely greater portion available for
the settler, and opened to his energy re-
gions previously locked and barred against
even his approach.
When 1t comes to an bipartisan review OF
the administration of the public lands under
Republican domination, the party has, in
the history of the homestead laws alone, that
to its credit of which it is more than
proud, and that which should shame the
Democratic party. 20 the former will for
ever stand the credit of dedication of our
then unsettled domain to freedom, despite
the persistent and relentless efforts of the
Democracy, North and South, to bind it to
the chariot wheels of the monster slavery
Nor will the people forget, in reviewing
the public land administration of the ma.
ton, that to the Republican party, I'm.
aided and alone, and bitterly opposed by
the Democracy, stands the credit for the
homestead laws, than which no public aci
has been so fraught with blessings to the
man of small or of no means.
Concerning the historically noted meas.
ure of 1859 that embodied the principles
of free homesteads, it is recorded history
that all the Representatives who voted in
favor of it were Republicans, and all who
voted against it were Democrats. In
1S60-61, the bill again being to the front,
with very few exceptions the Democrats
again opposed it, and the Republicans to a
man voted for it, and against the spectators
who were absorbing the lands, and finally
James Buchanan, Democratic President
as his last official act upon legislation,
vetoed it. In 1862, when the Democracy
was largely engaged in fighting the battles
of the slaveocracy, the bill was again
passed, and by the approval of Abraham
Lincoln became the law, and 92,OOO,OOO
acres have since been occupied by settlers
under it genuine. To Republican add
ministration, and against Democratic oppo-
sition, is due also the law granting waste
lands in aid of agricultural colleges. The
blessings of these measures, not excluding
the lands granted to aid in the construc-
ton of transcontinental railways, have
been simply Unreasonable to the people,
while to the Government, as mere econo-
mic measures, they have appreciated the
values and brought into market its landed
possessions greatly to its financial benefit,
and the accruing advantages are simply
beyond estimation in their immensely.
The question of election of United
States Senators and postal biography are
touched upon, but involve no party poll
cies. Upon the silver question the plat.
form sharply rebukes the President it SC
solicitously approves. II is dead silen,
upon the all important question of the re-
form of the civil service, and perhap:
wisely so, in view of the insince-ity of the
party, and the hostility shown by ii in
Congress to the reform, to say nothing o.
the failure of the Administration to keer
its voluntary pledges upon that subject.
1t seems to have been impossible for the
Convention to avoid being made sound.
ing-board for the faint echoes of malignitv,
demagogy and untruth that characterized
the notorious Stockton Convention" II
takes up the threadbare theme of the rail
road taxes and in spasm of gush demands
that corporations pay their taxes-and who
does not ? But when the Convention de-
clares that the railroad companies "have
persistently refused to pay their lawful
portion of the public revenue" it deals in
wanton mendacity. 1t puts of record a
glaring lie, and that too with unblushing
effrontery, since the decisions of the high
est tribunals in the land stared the Con-
vention in the face and gave to its utter
ance the lie emphatic The fact is, and
none know it better than the men of the
Convention, that the companies assaulted
have paid and are paying far more of taxes
to the State than the Courts hold they are
bound to pay, and that they pay larger
taxes to California than any other rail-
road of like character of construction pay
to any other State in the Union. In view
of these undeniable facts commentator of
State officials who have pursued the roads
upon this subject, is grotesque, and more
it is farcical. 1t is saving of sore defeat !;
an attempt to comfort officious DEM
agogues posing insineerely as the cham
pions of the people.
If these positions Of the platform with
its evasions and its untruth, its appeals to
prejudices and its effort to raise the ghost
of the anti-railroad craze, are the best the
the wisdom of the party in California can
evolve, the condition of the Democracy
enlists the human sympathy that is ex-
tended to the unfortunate who is merci-
fully spared punishment because of ire
sponsibiltity.
THE dispatches this morning announce
that the charge is made that $4,000 more
votes were counted in the recent Louisiana
election than there are voters in that State.
1t is added that the revelation has been
brought to the attention of United States
Senators, and that yesterday caucus of
the Republican side had the charges under
consideration. There is certainly some fire
where there is so much smoke, for it is
fact not denied that certain parishes that