The Chickasaw messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1880-1900, 1888-08-16
THE PUBLIC LANDS.
Their CONDENSATION by Syudicates
should lc stopped.
Nazoo Herald

notice in your issue containing an
accouut Of the proceedings of the Far
mer. County Alliance. and also thar
Of the Sentinel. a part Of one resolu-
ton len on The resolution reads thus:
@Re-olved, That we endorse the action
Of Gen. Walthall In having a hin pass
ed Withdrawing the public lands Of
the State Of Mississippi from private
entry" There should be added the
words, "only Under the provisions Of
the homestead law"
by leaving out these words Il would
appear that lands were not subject to
entry at all, when such isnot the ease
The lands are still subject to entry by
the settler who wishes 10 purchase a
home for himself and family. but are
placed beyond the reach of ,pecula-
tors.
My object in offering this resolution
was not only to express our apprecia-
ton Of a true and faithful, high pub
lie official, but also 10 direct attention
10 the wav in which the public lands
of our own beloved State are being
disposed Of A. we'll a. some of our sis
ter States Of the South. According
10 the published statements great
deal Of land il being taken up by rich
syndicates, not only from the North
and East, but from Europe, also enter
ing immense tracts Of lands belonging
either TO the general government or
the State.
Under the provisions OF the bill re-
Gently enacted by Congress the lands
belonging to the general government
are out of reach Of these wealthy cor
porations. These land sharks have
been buying up these lands at mere
nominal prices. | notice an account
published in your valuable journal a
few months past Of some parties who
al bought up extensive tracts of
amp lands lying in this and adioin-
u 'counties. These lands If UNDER
the statement correctly were en-
tea ~ lands belonging to the State,
andAne amount realized by the State
being a mere trihe, the minimum
price paid for some Of il running as
low a. fifteen cents per acre, and if !
am not mistaken, one Of the parties
realized in the course Of about twelve
months the astounding sum of thirty
=. thousand dollars accruing from the
sales OF a portion Of thislsnd. Now, the
question presents itself, from whom
did he realize these enormous profits ?
Was il from the hardy sOns Of toll,
purchasing a home for hiaiself and
family, or was it from other specula-
tors? who in return viii realize still
larger profits from the actual settler.
It has not been unfrequent Of late
wears to see accounts Of wealthy SYM
dictates from the North and East a.
well a. from England and Germany,
buying thousands Of acres Of our pub
lie lands and in connection Herewith
the most fllsOme and flsttering pre-
diction OF the future wealth aud great
ness of the South.
Now, Mr.. Editor, see nothing very
promising in all Of this TO the South
(many of our newspapers of the day
to the contrary suppose these rich
corporations, buying up this land set
lie it with foreign immigration, as i,
otter stated they will do, where will
the money 90 when these lands begin
to pay enormous rentsg II will 90 tc
Europe or to the East, the home Of
these land sharks. II does not seen
to me that II requires a very thorough
knowledge Of the science of political
economy to see that it is a suicidal
policy The paltry sum realized now
in the meagrc figures Of fifteen cents
per acre to the millions that will b.
drained from the country Aceruins
from the rents Of these lands, when
they have attained high state q
cultivation is Of hut small con
sideration. Look at Ireland to-day il
her squalid poverty due no doubt t'
the fact that so much Of her land il
owned by the landed AristOeraey o
England, and millions pass out Of hel
borders yearly for rents.
A vail has been sent up for year
against making appropriations t.
wealthy corporations for the purpose
Of building railroads through th'
great Northwest and other sections o
our country. The too liberal dispo
sition Of the public lands has aroused
ali ~ rho oufaUOuism In the belir0sl