Arizona weekly citizen., 1888-09-15
COPP's LAND REVIEW.
Pending Legislation-Mr. Holman
 Latest

Latest.
 Iu the beginning of this series Of let ters, mention is made of what IS knoWn as ihe Holman Pablic Land Bill, snd Oi the bill forfeiting railroad land grsnts, aud it was stated that neither would pass both Houses Of Congress at the presrnt session. Subsequently the fact was sn- nouuced thst bills had been passed by the House of Representative. and the opinion that they would not get through the Senate was reiterated
 Mir. Holman seemed to have arrived at a conclusion ID harmony with those opinions, and has adopted very un- usual-not to say nwise-course win 8 view to securing by suspension the ot- jects he fears will prove unsttalnable oy the ordinary methods of repeal and straightforward declaration of forfeit ure,
 sOn August 2s he introduced "A Bill to suspend all laws touching the dis- posal of public lands except the home stead law, and for other purposes by which it IS provided that the public lands of the United States shah be disposed of only under and according to the provIs- ions of the homestead laws, and that the commutation clause of those laws shall be imperative, until the pending legis- lstion affecting such lands shall be dls- posed of, or until the present session of Congress shall adjourn; snd that any lsc- lated or disconnected tracts of public land less than 170 scres may be ordered cold st private or public sale for not less than $1.25 per acre when in the jug ment of the Commissioner of the Gen ersl Land Office 1t would be proper te do so. That during and afGer the pen dency of measures now before Congress relative to railroad grant forfeitures no set done by any of the grantess shall en- large their right or claim to any lands covered by the grants, nor shall this pro vision be construed to diminish or waive any right of the United States 10 declare a forfeiture of any Of the grants.
 In a brief letter like this II would be impossible to point out all of the errors embraced in this proposed law. In the | first place it violates well established legal principles ID attempting to accom- plish by indirection that winch has beer | found impossible to do in 6 direct lega | manner. Next it undertakes to prevent | persons who have made homeste sd en | Lrlce HUH " NN%~@ mute theIr entries which Is youchssieC to them by the laws under which the et tries have been made, It denies 10 tho persons and theIr assigns lwhO for wai' | CTS of legal rights to "a usble lands hRy'
 accepted scrip from tho government. tht right to locate such scrip in the manner prescribed by law and the terms of agree
 ments between them and the govern ment. It undertakes to wipe out of eX is,ance that rule of law laid down by tho Supreme Court of the United States b. | which contracts with the government
 are held to run until legally revoked by competent authority and to impair the rights of ci izens. Should 1t be carried into effect 1t would work incslculRblI
 injury to the progressive communiiie' | of the Northwest and interfere with pri vate rights in every public land State and Territory in the UnioD.
 It wouli stop proceedings towards completing every entry that has beeE initiated under any other than the home
 stead laws. and probably cause the sus
 pension of work on every line of uncom
 pleted land grant railroad. The Com missioner, m the report which he vii
 probably be called upon 10 make upol
 this bill, should emphsticslly disspproTu it's enactment into law.
 | HENRY N. COPP