Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1888-10-06
SENATOR PLUME ON THE LAND
QUESTION.

I'm the Senate OF the United States He
Makes Some Remarks of Which the Fol-
lowing is a synopsis.
The senate bill restoring to the United
States certain of the lands granted to the
Northern Pacific railroad company, was
taken up and Senator Plumb proceeded to
address the senate In favor of its passage.
He said the two great political parties of
the country present upon all economic, po-
litical and administrative affairs radical
conflict of systems and innocuiitioa and
lines were more sharply drawn than in the
methods and objects of action relative to
the disposal of public lands. The demo-
cratic party had at all times sought the bene-
fit of the few as against the many. Pos
sessing the cheapest labor in the world in
the section from which it had mainly drawn
its support, it had never sought by sub di
vision Of landed interests or by
OF cultivation to foster population of in
dustrious middle classes. On the contrary,
by the abandonment of plantations as soon
q they are worked out, the necessity was
created for such public land system as
would constantly provide new areas for easy
occupation and as would naturally maintain
landed oligarchy. In striking contrast
the republican party came into existence
with a land policy which it hal ever since
maintained of .'iand for the lar diess, homes
for the homeless. ut had at all times sought to
sabdivide the public domain among and for
benefit of actual settlers. 1t had Zealously
guarded and preserved and improved the
gross acres, once conquered by Gu tiyation.
1t had Ia Regular progression pushed onward
its ever advancing of small homes. and it
had thus developed nd fostered empires of
citizens, enjoying an honest and prosperous
equality before the law. It was therefore
but natural that when the democrats sue
caeded to power in 1885, after twenty-fOur
years of idlensss, should at once attack the
republican administration of public lands.
He quoted the suspension order OF Com
missioner Sparks. issusd six working
days." after that officer took his seat, and
said that while it pretended to be aimed at
a suspension of frauds oy suspending the
laws, it in reality drew a clear distinction
between spectators and scrip owners on the
one hand and actual settlers on the otner,
affecting the situation of only such entries
as were not dependent on acts of settlement
and cultivation. The immediate effect WAS
to enhance the value of o Itstanding ecrip
in the hands of a land ring from So or 50
per acre to between $40 and $50. creating
large fortunes for the three or four men
who held the greater proportion of the
scrip.
This order, he said, also drew line at the
states recently in rebellion, so that while
lands in the south rem aimed subject to pfl-
vate entry tn, 30 in the northwest could only
be located with prospect of obtaining title
by mans of land scrip. The theory Of the
order was that every northern setter was
thief and sWinder. Between $1,000 and
100 600 ca "a we're affected by this order,
and nearly many we're annual y added
thereafter to the volume OF suspension.
The practical result had been to de-
termins a very minor percentage of fraud,
probably not equslling more than per
cent of the entries examined. As result
of the democratic system o. administration,
he cited the work accompiis ed In the last
two years of the republican administration,
in comparison with the first two OF the
democratic, showing a dscrease of 81 er
cent. in the number of patents issued dur
Ing the latter period.
Senator Plumb quoted tho recently issued
circular of Commi-. Toner Stockslaser. SHOW
ing the quantity of land actual, resto' ed to
the public domain, and recommended or
recovery und-r the pres Mt administration,
and taking up the items in detail argued
from their history that Mr.. Stoc1$
lager had gathered mp all tn
legislative acts passed under re-
publican administration, previous TO Merco,
1 1886 and felonious y appropriated them
30 The credit of the present administrator.
H axxnod that While Commissioners 6parkD
vlgoe01n3y adyoeated TIE foFfeitnre d m