The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-08-05
Tho Gni,ford Miller Case.

The decision in the Guilford Miller case,
which the Secretary of the Interior,
Mr. Villas, rendered on Thursday last,
is worthy of much more than a passing
notice. The case attracted a great deal
of attention year or so ago when
the President wrote a letter with re-
gard to it to Mr. Lamar, who was then at
the head of the interior department. Mr..
Villas decision fully sustains the views
which were then expressed by the President,
and gives Guilford Miller his land.
The decision is important for two reasons.
One is that it puts at rest the doubts
which about ten thousand other settlers in
Washington territory and Oregon had rela-
tive to their right to the farms which they
claim and occupy, and the other is that it
shows that Mr. Cleveland has the courage
to take the side Of the poor farmer against
powerful corporation, when he believes
that tho farmer is right.
Ten years ago GuiIford Miller entered
government land on the line of the North
ern Pacific railroad, but not within the
limits of the land withdrawn from market
on account of the location of the route of
road. Under the law, the road was given
tract of land forty miles wide on each side
of its line. The road changed its route, SO
that the Miller farm was brought within
the forty mile limit. 1t made second
change, which left the Miller farm outside
of the limit, but the railroad claimed 1t as
part of its indemnity lands-that Is, lands 1t
is entitled to select to make up any deh-
cheney in its original grant.
There is no doubt that Guilford Miller
would have lost his farm if he had not APP
pealed to the President, and if the Presi-
dent were not a man who has profound
appreciation of the responsibilities of his
position, and who personally looks into
every matter that comes before him, he
would have referred the appeal to the Off
Ger whose duty 1t is to pass upon such mat
ters, and given it no further thought. Mr..
Cleveland, however, gives the same alton
tion to the appeal Of the humblest citizen
that he does to that Of the man of influence
and wealth, or the greatest corporation. His
purpose is to do equal and exact justice, and
he would no more think of sigding a bill
granting a fraudulent pension than he
would of rejecting claim based upon truth
and justice
His investigation of the Guilford Miller
case convinced him that the Northern
Pacific railroad was endeavoring to lille
gally deprive many thousands of honest
settlers of their farms, and he at once took
steps to prevent the wrong from being done.
Would Garfield, or Grant, or Hayes have
taken the trouble that Mr.. Cleveland did
TO look into the case of this poor farmer, if
the opportunity had presented itself9 The
chances are they would not. Their party
was engaged in enriching corporations, not
in defending the rights of poor men. Be-
fore the republican party came into power
not an acre of the public land had been
given to corporations. Before it went out
of power it had given away the better part
Of them. The democratic party is just be-
ginning to get some of them back again.
The Guilford Miller case should be kept
before the the people during the campaign.
1t shows in an eminent degree that Mr..
Cleveland is the friend of the people, and
that the government will never be run in the
interest Of monopolies while he Is Presi-
dent