Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-10-04
KANSAS BILLS VETOED.

The President vetoes the Bill Permitting
the Union Pacific Road 10 Purchase Part
of the Fort Wallace Military Reserva-
tion, and Also the Bill Authorizing the
Secretary Of the Interior to Certify Lands
to the State.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 25.-The President
yesterday vetoed House bill $40 provid-
ing for the disposal of the Fort Wallace
| (Kau.) military reservation. 1t permits
the Union Pacific Railroad Company to
purchase within limited time certain
part of the military reservation, which is
particularly described, at the rate of $50
per acre. The President says that he is
| informed that this privilege might, by
reason of faulty description of the lands,
enable the railroad company TO purchase
at the price named property in which prl-
vate parties have interests acquired under
the laws. 1t is evident, he says, that the
description of the land which the railroad
company is allowed the option of purchas-
ing should be exact and certain for the in
terests of all concerned. Sec ton of the
bill grants certain portion ofthe military
reservation heretofore set apart by the
military authorities as a cemetery to the
city of Wallace, for cemetery purposes.
The President held that in his opinion
there should be a provision that no bodies
heretofore inferred in this ground should
be disturbed and that when it should no
longer be used as a cemetery it should re-
vert to the Government.
The President also sent in the following
veto message to the House of Representa-
tives:
am unable TO give my assent TO joint resolu
ton No. "A, and entitled a joint resolution TO
authorize the Secretary OF the Interior TO Ger
tify lands TO the State OF Kansas for the benefit
OF agriculture and the mechanical arts, and
therefore return the same with statement Of
my objections thereto.
BY an act Of Congress passed June ., 1862,
certain public lands were granted TO such Of the
several States as should provide colleges for
the benefit Of agriculture and the mechanical
arts. Under the terms of this act the State of
Kansas was entitled to 900 acres OF land,
subject, however, to the provisions Of said stat
ute. which declared that when lands which had
been raised to double the minimum price, in
consequence of railroad grants, should be Sc
lected by State such lands should be COM
puted at the maximum price and the number OF
acres proporuonately diminished.
OF the lands selected by the State of Kansas
and which have been certified 7,CS2 S2-1U0 acres
were in certain limits OF a railroad grant and
had therefore been raised to the double mini
mum in price, so that the number of acres men,
tlO"ed and thus situated really stood Tor oouDIe
that number of acres in filling the grant 10
which the State OF Kansas was entitled.
1t is now claimed that after the selection OF
these lands the route of said railroad was ahan-
doned and another one selected, and in conse-
Quence thereof such lands included within its
first location were reduced to the minimum
price and restored to public market at t6at
rate. 1t is supposed on these allegations that
justice and equity require that an additional
INF hay do 70 no tote NJ X
sas from the public lands equal to the number
OF acres selected within the limits OF the first
railroad location. But examination discloses
that the joint resolution was predicated upon
an entire misunderstanding of the facts.
The lands heretofore described selected by
the State of Kansas and charged al double that
amount because their price had been raised TO
the double minimum in consequence of their
being within u railroad location have all ex-
cept $50 acres. remained either in the new or
old railroad location up to the present time,
and If now vacant, would be held by the Gov
eminent at the double minimum price.
1t seems clear to me that the State of Kan
sas has been granted oil the public land TO
which it con lay any legal or equitable claim
under the law of lS62 GROVER CLEVELAND.