Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-11-29

a state Of affairs as DcpIorabic ns
the Results OF Landiordisn, in
troiaud,
fhiisdel h Record,
The people Of this country Justly sym
pathize with the victims of harsh land
policy in ireland, but they mey now con-
template the operation of quite as drastic
land system much nearer home. IL il
doubtful whether there is anything In the
history of modern landlordism in ireland
more deplorable than the scenes Of evic.
tion that are now Witnessed on the Dss
| Moines river in Iowa. In place of the
bailiifs of absentee Irish landlords Federal
marshals, armed with the DEGREES OF Fed.
eral courts, pounce down upon the home
steads Of hundreds OF settlers who felt
secure in the ownership OF lands which
they had cultivated for many years. aud
some of whom hold these titiss by patent
from the United States government But
the courts have deoreed that there " an
Older and better title in the Dss Moines
Navigation ard Railroad Company, and
the law, more crnel than the blizaards
that sweep over the prairies Of Iowa, has
driven them and their fnmilies from the
homes in which they hsve 80 long been
sheltered. The pDor settlers may push
farther west TO begin lito anew II they
can, after all their tolls, but they must
have care lest they encroach once more
upon the privileged domain Of some land.
grant railroad corporation.
All that has been done In dispossession
OF these Iowa settlers, be it understood,
has been in strict conformity with the
Land lava OF Congress. Away back In
1850 Congress granted to the state OF Iowa
land I'D alternate sections for Ave miles in
breadth on each side Of the Des Moines
river. In tho sane year the department
of the interior withdrew the lands within
this grant from settlement and trans
ferred the title 10 them to the state Of
Iowa. The legislature of Iowa in turn
granted the land to the Des Moines
Navigation and Railroad Company for
improving tbs river, the cession embrac.
ing the whole length Of the river within
the state. The land within this grant
contains $50, 09 aoreg. Both Congress
and the supreme Court OF the United
States have affirmed the title Of the Des
Moines Navigation and Railroad Com
pkny. u ii
In the meantime settlers poured In upon
the fertile lands ot the Des Moines river
valley, most OF them ignorant Of tile tx.
lstence or this oon pany, as well % of the
fact that the land mad been Withdrawn by
the government from occupstion. II Is
SAID that some OF them knew from the
beginning that they were in occupancy OF
ground belonging 10 others, as they re
fused to pay taxes levied uppn the lInil.
But many OF the settlers were SO
thoroughly convinced OF Che validity Of
theft titles that they obtained patents for
their lands from the United States govern.
ment Holding these patents from the
government, they rsposed in peifsot
security until they were startled by the
decree OF the United States courts that
they were mere tenants at the will OF the
Des Moines Navigation & Railroad Uom.
papy.
Some Of the settlers have agreed to pay /
the price 0: from SIG to S25 per acre,
which tho company demands FOR the
landa. The others, who cannot pay this
price which their iabor Of many years has
given to the lands, are eyic,ed by Federal
marehsls with as little ceremony as that
of the hsii,tfs of absentee landlords
toward irish tenpnts. Ih9 pa,ont title
which they hold from the government.
Chords them no protection They ara
victims not only o. their own ignorance
Of the Land Grant laws of Congress but
OF official caselessueas IN issuing govern
ment patents, as we'll rs of cor fiets of
LEGISLATION and judicial deeiairrs S~eh
of ,tele ~ bold patents lar 4 e4fa Il
are certainly entitled In equity 5m.
pant atinu from the g1yaFnmrnt