Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1888-08-15


priating the public lands Of the Unit |
ed States for homesteads for Ameri-
can citizens and settlers, not aliens,
which the Republican party establish
ed in 1862 against the persistent op-
position of Democrats in Congress,
and which has brought our great
Western domain into such magnii-
cent development.
The restoration of unearned rail-
road land grants to the public do
main for the use Of actual settlers,
which was begun under the admins
tration OF President Arthur, should
be continued. We deny that the
Democratic party has ever restored
one acre to the people, but declare
that by the joint action of Republi-
cans and Democrats about fifty mil
lions of unearned lands, originally
granted for the construction of rail
roads, have been restored to the pub
lie domain, in pursuance of the con.
ditions inserted by the Republican
party in the original grants.
We charge the Democratic Admin
istration with failure to execute the
laws securing to settlers their titles
to homesteads, and with using ap.
propriations made for that purpose
to harass innocent settlers with spies
and prosecutions under the false
pretense Of exposing frauds and vim
dlcating the law.
T The government by Congress of the
Territories is based upon necessity
only, to the end that they may be-
, come States in the Union; therefore,
3 whenever the conditions Of popula.
ton, material resources, public intel
ligence and morality are such as to
insure stable local government there
in, the people of such Territories
> should be permitted, as a right in.
herent in them, to form for themselves
!; constitutions and State governments
f and be admitted into the Union
Pending the preparation for State
, hood, all officers thereof should be
f selected from the bona fde residents
, and citizens of the Territory wherein
. they are to serve. South Dakots
should of right be Immediately ad
y mitted as State in the Union, under
i the Constitution framed and adopted
It by her people, and we heartily en-
e dorse the action of the Republican
j. Senate in twice passing bills for he
d admission. The refusal Of the Dem
J. ocratic House Of Representatives, 70
h partisan purposes, to consider thes
+ bills, is willtul violation Of tn
l. sacred American principle of loca
\ self. government, and merits the con
'e demnation of all just men. TIL
a pending bills in the Senate for acts
l. enable the people of Washington
ID North Dakota and Montana TER
tories to form Constitutions and e.
u tabisn State governments should b
n. passed without unnecessary della,
n, The Republican party pledges itse
is to do all in its power to facilitate tn
ot admission of the Territories OF Ne
is Mexico, Wyoming, Idaho and Arize
,e ma to the enjoyment of self.goverr
10 ment as States; such Of them as a,
7e now qualified as soon as possible, an
IS the others as soon as they may becon
v so. The political power of the Mo
$, mon Church in the Territories as e,
10 ercised in tho past, is menace to fire
institutions and dangerous to be Ion
as suffered; therefore we pledge tt
IS, Republican party to appropriate legl
of lation asserting the sovereignty I
Sc the nation in all Territories where II
of same is questioned, and in furtherant
in of that end, to place upon the statu
books, legislation stringent enough
'e divorce the political from the eccle
IN iastical power, and thus stamp out tt
ne attendant w,ckedness of polygamy.
"a The Republican party is in favor
10 the use Of both gold and silver
y. money, and condemns the policy
Y. the Democratic administration i'll
al efforts to demonetize silver.
'n We demand reduction of lett
~ postage to one cent.
~ In republic like ours, where tt
~ citizens is the sovereign and the of
IL cial the servant, where no power
as exercised except by the will of tt
bs people, it is important that the sove
~. eighty, the people, should possess i
telligence. The free school is Il
- promoter of that intelligence which
s. to preserve us a free nation; Their
-. fore, the State or nation, or both col
~ bined, should support free instit
~ tons of learning, sufficient to affo
W. to every child growing up in the lar
aI the opportunity of good commt
et school education.
at We earnestly recommend tn
nd prompt action be taken by Congre
rs in the enactment of such legislatlt
~. as will best secure the rehabilitstlt
IN of our American merchant marin
,r. and we protest against the passa!
n. by Congress of the free ship bill
id calculated to work injustice to lab