The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-06-28


public lands OF the United States to be home
steads for merican ctttzenE and settlers. not
aliens, which the Republican party establish
in 1862, against the persistent Opposition of the
Demo rats in Congress- and which has brought
our great western domain into such magnf-
cent development. The restoration of un-
earned railroad apd grants 10 The public do
main for the use of act u!il settlers which was
begun underline administration of President
Arthu should be continued. We deny that
the Democratic party has ever restored one
to the people, but dec lare that by the Joint
action OF Republicans and Democrats about
fifty millions OF s4cres of unearned lands orgi-
nally granted for the construction OF railroads
have been restored to the public domain in
pursuance OF the conditions inserted by the
Republican party in the original grants We
charge the Demncrab'e Administration with
failufe to execute The laws secrife5 fo tjars
titles to their homesteads and with using an
preparations made for that purpose to harrass
Innocent settlers with spies and prosecutions
under the false pretSnSe of eX posing frauds md
Vindcatiug the law.
The government by Congress of the Terrific
res is based upon necess'Fy only, to The enc
that they may DeCome states in the Union
therefore. whenever the condition OF populal
ton. material resources, public intelligence
and morality are such as to insure a stahie 10.
cal government therein, the people of such
Territories should he permitted, as a right in:
herent III them, to form for themselves roristi-
buttons and state governments and be admitted
into the Union. Pending the prepaiation fol
statehood all officers thereof should be selected
from The h3nafide residents and citizers Of the
territory wherein they are to serve. South
Dakota should OF right be immed ,ateIy adj
plltted as State in the Union under the con-
stitutlon framed and adopted ny her people
and we heartily endorse the action Of the Re
publican Senate III twice passing bills Tor her
| admission. The refusal of the Democratic
House of Representatives, for partisan pur-
poses, TO tavorably consider these bills is a
willful violation of the sacred American prin-
ciple of local Self-government and merits the
condemnation of all inst men. The pending
bills IN the senate for acts to enable the peo-
pie OF Washington, North Dakota and Montana
Territories to form constitutions and establish
State governments should be passed without
unnecessary delay, The Republican party
pledges Itself to do all in itsnoWer to Facilitate
lie admission OF TIE IerFit0ries uF New Mexico
Wyoming, IDAHO and Arizona to the enjoyment
Of sef~gOVtTnmept as STATES SUCH OF Them as
are now quahfied,as soon es possible, and the
others as soon as they may become so:
The poll zeal power of tue Mormon Church in
the Territories as exercised lii the past is a
menace to free ms buttons too dangerous
longer to he suffered, Therefore we pledge the
EeI.upican party u approprate Legislation
asserting the sovereignty of the Nation in all
Territories where the'aaine' is questioned, and
in furtheranee of that end to place upon the
statute books Legislation stringent enough to
divorce the political from the ecclesiastic
power. and thus stamp out the attendant
wickedness of polygamy,