Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-07-31


In SPITE of the tendency brought about
by the introduction OF railways, TO tho
concentration OF population In cities,
America has hitherto been able TO accept
with ease the vast tide of foreign immigra-
ton, which has for many years been flood
ing her shores. The explanation is found
in the immense unsettled public domain,
which, until recent years, was open with
out money and without price to settlers
from all parts OF the world. our govern
ment lands were practically boundless,
and we therefore welcomed an immigra-
ton which would have overwhelmed any
other nation ON the globe. If our states
men of former days looked with occasional
disquietude upon tho army of foreigners
who landed yearly at our ports, n glance
at our enormous public domain. Preserved
for the actual settler" was amply sufii-
cient TO check their alarm. Indeed, our
ability TO receive and assinilate these
numberless immigrants from tho Old
World was matter of national pride, and
we boasted Of our Free America as can
asylum for the oppressed of all nations"
But whore, to-day, is our exhaustless
public domain, which our fathers :" re-
served for the actual settler ?'' OF tho nine
hundred millions Of acres originally avail
able, but two hundred millions remain.
What has become of il? Granted by Con-
| gress to railroad corporations Under DEM
| ocratic rule only twelve millions of acres
| were disposed of In tins manner, during
its long lease of nearly eighty years of al
most interrupted power. Contrast this
with the fact that In the first four years of
| Republican rule more than one hundred
| millions of acres, twice the extent of all
the Now England states, wero granted by
| Congress tn the corporations. This inn
mense territory wns granted directly to the
| railways, whereas, under Democratic ad-
ministrations, all the lands given TO aid the
building of railways had been bestowed by
the states. Thus, while carrying on IA des-
| perate war to retain eleven rebellious
states, the political party In power gave
away enough territory to form twelve new
ones
But not only has the public domain been
squandered with lavish hand upon rail-
ways, but immense portions of il have been
obtained by individual landlords and by
great land companies, both native and Tor,
eign. Foreign landlords and land specli.
lating companies have already gained pos
session of 20, 0,6i7 900 acres. Besides these
are our native land owners and speculators
among whom are individual capitalists
who own millions of acres. Three rail
roads, the Texas Pacific Northern Pacific
and Atlantic 4 Pacific own together lO7, ).
100000 acres.
These facts prove that the United States
has land question, and one of proportions
so gigantic that II makes that of Ireland
dwindle into insigniiicance in comparison
| -- % --'-------
AND now il turns out that bril-, liant Rlain,
isa poor and petty plagiarist, instead of tn,
splendid "original thinker" which tn,
party organs SO proudly worshipped. 1t il
even claimed that he is very recent con
vert TO tho reciprocity doctrine, and tha
Senator Aldrich, of Rhode Island, Is II.
real intellectual parent. Indeed, II is wei
known that Mr.. Blaine's. net. .lohhE was
until very recent aate, customs unio,
between an '!@sS SS North aud South Ameri
can STATES, and union, too, which did no
include Spain and her sugar-growing is
lands. But before making 1t public, Sena
tor Aldrich indiscreetly explained full,
his reciprocity scheme to the willy secre
tary, who is said "to have listened in
tently." No doubt he did. and no doub,
too, that the Rhode Island senator is to-da
a :" sadder and wiser man." But Blaine
impudence In coolly appropriating tn
scheme as his own is only too characters
J tio, and To Democratic lookers-on, is yer
amusing. Surely the right hand of tn
crafty secretary has not yet lost its cur
ming.