Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1888-01-27

FRIDAY - JANUARY 27, 1888
"p,sn UNHAPPY SITUATION.


who under former administrations OF
the government dishonesty obtained
large grants of the public lands.
We did not vote for President Clcve-
land, and are not on the list as an advo'
cate of his party, only so far as it is right
aud the public interest demands, but
with some regard for truth, justice and
dccency toward public officers whose
o licial acts comm and the respect of all
but unscrupulous partisans and salaried
manufacturers of public sentiment, Gre
ates desire, yes more, demand, that
the truth should be spoken without fear
or favor that, in the language OF Gen.
Grant, mo guilty man should be permit
ted to escape
Leaving "D's" semi.montlly taunts OF
the Presidents amours with Mrs. Halpin
TO his conscience as a professed disciple
of Him who said in similar case, Let
him that is without sin throw the first
stone" and those who enjoy such lite"a
ture and worked up quite rs strong
case against Mr.. Blaine in the heat of
the last presidential campaign, we will
proceed to show from the records OF the
Government, audited mainly by Repub-
lcaus, that there is no foundation in
even one substantial fact for "D's" al
legation of completely of the fraudulent
grab of public lands by the Cleveland
administration.
In the JOURNAL of October last ap,
peared the following extract from the
Report of the Commissioner of the Gem
eral Land Office-sent out by the Asso-
ciatcd Press and published in all papers,
daily and weekly, except those that
edit county printing, without regard to
law regulating the compensation there
TO, and ass's in working up business
in litigation, etc. c.)-which shows what
ad been done in that department dur
ing the year ending June so, 1887:
WASHINGTON, Oct. 15.-Commisson-
or Sparks, of the General Land office,
has submitted to the Secretary of the
Interior his annual report for the fiscal
year ended June 30r 1887, He says lie
has no word to recall that has hitherto
been uttered touching the aggravated
misappropriatious to which public lands
have been subjected through improvi-
dent laws and Inefficient methods Of ad.
ministration, and to which they are still
exposed under present wasteful and
frIud-inspiring systems of disposal.
The operations" continues the report
'of the past year, as previously, have
been conducted under the discourage
ment of inadequate appropriations but
with the limited means at my disposal
results have been achieved that confirm
:he early statements of the vastness OF
this field of reform, the confines only OF
which have yet been fairly explored"
During the year the total number of
acres of land restored to the public do
main was 81, 1924 ,is1, and of railroad
lands recommended for recovery with
cases pending, there are 8, 449, ,49O acres.
The commissioner renews his former
recommendation that forfeiture is declar.
ed in all cases in which land grant rail
roads were not completed within the
time and in the manner conditioned i'll
the respective grants.
The Investigation of fraudulent land
entries, he says, has been satisfactorily
conducted, and in no previous year hns
so much effective work been done by
the small number of special agents em'
ployed us u result of their investigations
$40, 900 acres were held for cancellation
and 10000 were cancelled for fraud
Ton hundred and eleven cases of deprc-
dations of timber trespass were reported
upon and the total amount actually re-
covered TO the Government during the
year, through judgment, fines, sales OF
timber and com mpromises, was $l2S, 642
being $53, ,642 in excess of the appropri
alton, nearly all of which was recover
ed the first half OF the fiscal year.
The above and more OF the same report
and same import appeared in both Re
publican aud Democratic papers-thaI
give The official news-at the date above
given. Its correctneas has not been ques
timed by eitherparty. Instead OF guilty
completely with dishonest monopolsts, il
shows with the clearness of sun beam
what Cleveland and his administration
have really done by way of redeeming the
public lands, from the insStiable and dis
honest clutches oil these land grabbers.
The Commissioner affirms that during
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1867 there
had been redeemed from former grants o.
lands made to certain railroads, and return
ed 10 :he public domain 81, S24 4Sl acre,
OF land Gases in which 0,499, 400 acre.
were now pending in the u S. Courts, fol
legal action in return. Also 100000 acre.
had been cancelled on The ground Of fraud
ulent enirp, while $4,000 acres more were
now held for cancellation on the ground oil
fraudulent entry having been made. The
aggregate acreage covered by these num-
bers are Al ,S73,97l acres-nn area equal to
the dimmensions of Ohio, Connecticut, New
Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Rhode Is
Iand; aud 325, 40 acres to spare.
1t may be as we'll for 80" and other bit.
ter psrlisans TO learn that nothing can be
gained, ultimately, by making unjust and
untrue statements.
Immediately subsequeni TO the war, from
1864 to 1876, there were grants Of the pub
lie lands made 10 over so corporations,
which aggregated the enormous amount OF
125 900 900 acres. II cannot be said that
these were acts OF Democratic admins
tration. We therefore respectfully invite
I'D" and tlo'e who are prejudiced like
him, 10 look AT the facts as citizens, not az
self-blinded pariisans. As slated by him
in this issme OF the JOURNAL. that his
"views Of Slaiesmanship are based on prac.
tical results rather than upon any abstract
theory" we cleerlully give him a Fubstan.
tinl basis III the table below upon which
lie can make a complete change Of base lor
his criticisms on the Cleveland admmis-
tration in lhe land grab business. They
Hre Republican figures, made during Re
publican administrations iron the official
proceedings OF Congress:
sCnEDULEoF LASD GRANTS TO CORPORATIONS Asu
MoSoPoLIEs UNDER DATES GIvEs.
STATE DATE, CORPORATION. ACRES.
wisconsn-lS66 Brcakwatcr&shlp Canal 2OO,OOO
Michigan. 1865 Portage Lake do 2DOUOO
do 1866 do do 200 090
do 1866 la Belle do do 100000
AI..I... T.I ID a