The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-12-01

From sale OF T02 SD
Expenditures in excess Of receipts~ sl2i .sis7ss
This excess of expenditures. however, ii
Offset by the 80 .000. 900 acres Of land. ex-
elusive Of Alaska, still in the possession OF
the government The value of this remain
ing part of the public domain Is estimated
from $500. 100000 TO $1,000, GOO 600. II ell
these lands or the proceeds from their sale
In excess of the present balance against
the government shall be appropriated to
the reclamation of the arid region by
means of irrigation. such action viii be en-
t.reIy in harmony with the policy pursued
by the national government. viz: regard
the public lands not as source Of revenue.
but simply as public trust, with the object
steadily in view Of transferring them 20 act
ual settlers at the lowest possible cost
and as rapidly rs may be consistent with
national development. No political party
has swerved from this wise and beneficent
policy. and no administration of the ma
tionai government has been false 10 this
great trust
In our Homestead Prescription"
"Tree-culture. and "Desert-land" laws
the most humane and benefcent features
OF all cur public land Iegislation--th poor
frontiersman has been accorded q vantage
and protection which have guarded him
against the encroaehmeuts of influence
and OF wealth. Our public land policy has
also bsen Just and generous toward the In
dams. paternal and kindly toward the
soldier and sailor. while always honest and
upright toward the public interests.
For the erection sand sustentation Of
schools. seminaries and agricultural col
leres. the magnificent donation OF Is $50 coo
acres OF land has been made. There has been
granted to the states for public improve
nents. :, ssS0 600 acres OF land. One of the
wlsest and in It's results benefcentfe features
OF our land policy has been the granting OF
aboat 81 s75. 900 acres Of the public lands
for the construction Of wagon.roads. canals
and railroads, and chiefly the latter.
Within certain limits the government has
given half the land IN alternate sections 90
railroad companies; but at the same time
il has doubled the price Of its remaining
lands within snch limits. No other expe-
dienf has 50 eiiec;gally tended &, promote
settlement. or TO secure the development Of
the resources OF the country. and especially
OF that vast area toward which the atsen-
ton Of the country is row Turned with
the same tire il IL the intelligent ard well
considered verdict eg the American people
thas the policy OF lAnd-granss went aboat
far enough.
The conduct OF our pubic land interests
Is GROWING Glory OF American statesman
ship and an abiding honor 70 the admins
tration q our national affairs. In world
IN which every ferceiei man IL seeking his
own, il is S record watch eliminates our
civilization. There have been heated dispn-
tatsnns al times in regard 20 methods Of
administration and matters OF detail tench-
ing the guardianship and deposition Of our
public lands, bat no political party line has
ever heen drawn On any 81 these questions,
and there appears 70 be no sensible excuse
for such action Ia The fGsuTs.
The method Of divsaing the puhtsc lands
into townships SIX miles squz=%. ard num-
beFing the square miles or ''seesseaeI Of
each township ia TIE same uniform nan-
ner from one 10 thlrfv-six. was devised dur
ing tie period when car national govern
meat vas ecngeieraey. he bsll whscA
Enacted i = dated Nay -. fTsS. ard was
rvpogte4 by eomnsiktee OF which ThonAza
JesseTSaa Ms chairman.
Saeh. briefly. are some of to mere sEs-
pofsaat historical facts In regard t. 8 { atae
RAMS Para. Ard nos Ars rs rzrn from
the past % tae present EnA the Iutare.
Great geesssazS q administration @n1 Of
Eahzse Esassey csairoat ws. ard 1eHsAne
solution 81 The hands * the r<nes zssan
xhish res eantEois The dessinzes u TIE
RAs<oa
FaK aUAER Asn TIE kKsp Exslas.
Tss national .sssss,zss. i zsixsfESf kv skEnre
insa two aSSsSacs areas. soHssklEaes 1esls-