The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-07-07
The Platform Lies!
The Republican platform says

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The Republican platform says:
We deny that the Democratic party ha
ever restored one acre 10 the people. bu
declare that by the joint action Of Repub-
licans and Democrats In congress abon
80 900 900 Of acres Of unearned lands origi
nslly granted for the construction Of rail
roads have been restored 10 the public do
main, In pursuance OF the conditions In
serted by the Republican party In the
original grant.
Now for the facts: Last summer, 10y
the action Of a democratic president and I
democratic secretary of the interior, abou
twenty million acres Of land, not granted
to railroads by congress, but withdrawn
from settlement as indemnity lands ,C
await the convenience of railroad conpan
les, under strained and questionable
construction of the law, were restored &c
the public domain and thrown open 10 set
Element and thousands of homes are being
made by settlers on the lands. Secretary
Teller was appealed TO by men of his own
party in some instances, notably by Judge
PaysOn Of Illinois, 10 restore these in.em-
nifty lands TO the public domain, but in
vain In refusing to withdraw sO.called
second indemnity belt for the Northern
Pacific he admitted that withdrawal and
restoration were alike within his power
but the republican practice of subordinat-
ing the interests of settlers 10 the Interests
of railroad companies had become SO we'll
established that Mr.. Teller, while refusing
to withdraw additional land for the North.
ern Pacific, and intimating that in his
opinion that II might sometime be neces-
sary 10 restore these withdrawn lands, was
not bold enough TO restore the lands ar6i-
trarily Withdrawn by his predecessors and
that great work In the interest of the put
lie, especially In the new states and terri
tories, was left by a republican TO be done
by democratic adm Illustration. The re.
publican platform makes amisstatement to
the extent of about twenty million acres in
regard TO executive action alone. In re.
gard to congressional action the facts are
equally plain and simple. In the Forty.
seventh congress the republicans were in
full possession of both branches of congress,
and not one railroad land grant was forti.
fed. In the Forty eighth and Forty.
ninth congresses the democratic party
the house of representatives,
and these congresses passed laws restoring
sc, 600 900 acres of unearned railroad land
grants to the public domain. With scarce
ly an exception these bills passed the
house before the senate considered them
The republican senate passed no forfeiture
bill that the house did not pass, but the
house passed bills forfeiting 3S,000,O0O
acres of grants that the republican senate
did not pass, and the house committee on
public lands made favorable reports on
bills TO forfeit grants amounting TO $12-
100000 or Sl30O0000 more. Judge Pay
son, although republican, presented in
the house two years ago tabular statement
showing that no forfeiture bills were passed
in the Forty. seventh congress and showing
in the Forty-eighth and Forty.ninth con
crosses how much more had been done by
the democratic house than by the republi-
can senate.