The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-06-28

hundred and sixty. So. how could you get
= whole section.
''Oh. see you arc not politician" said
the duke, much amused. "You have not
yet learned the ropes, as they say in your
country"
''No. confess am not initiated" said
the colonel
"You seem 10 know the workings OF the
ring" l said turning 10 the duke.
Eyes. l was interested Many of the
politicians In America, as elsewhere. allow
gold coin 10 cover doubtful points. II
you should 20 20 Washington and examine
the records you would II you could trace
IL out, find millions Of acres held by ficti
cious names. Then, too, the railroads.
large as their grants have been, have near
ly doubled their lands when sold Here IL
a statement which / received from friend
Of mine ut Washington, that viii prove
what say Is true he said, taking pa
per out Of his pocket and laying II on the
table where we could examine IL. "There.
you see the railroads claim 10 have grants
amounting TO 297 100000 acres; while by
ascertaining what the different roads have
actually earned, we find It 10 be less than
one-fourth of their claims. That is grand
success, you see, for the railroads"
II do not see how that Is possible" said
the colonel, when their grants are de-
fined by metcs and bounds"
''They are defined ON the maps, but
, when the lands are surveyed they exceed
the limits from 800 10 600 acres 10 the mile.
Tho reports say you have 10000 miles Of
completed railroads. An average OF five
hundred acres TO the mile gives a total
gain to the corporations OF some 10000 900
acres more land than they have any right
10. So IL is stated In your Official reports
from the land Office in Washington. Be
sides that there nre immense quantities OF
lands claimed along lines that are not
built, and that cannot now be built under
the laws making these grants, yet the cor
porations claim the lands and are selling
them rs fast as they can"
Now do not wonder where the wealth
that seems 10 flow In upon the railroad
corporations comes from.p said the colo
mel. IL can now see how men can become
millionaires In so short time"
Eyes, that Is grand said +. 1.-THE gov
eminent makes donations To corporations
to build railroads. They double the gift,
then charge the people cxorhitant rates for
the roads"
"waverland, You are slightly sarcastic"
said the duke.
"Well, il seems 10 me that people are
very ignorant or very careless 20 allow
such schemes 10 flourish" said l.
at would be hard work for men like Jay
Gould the Vanderbilts and other railroad
dignitaries, IL all the American people
were alive 10 the legalized robbery that IN
carried ON among them. They would, IL
they had any Of the spirit OF the reyolu-
tionary times In their bodies, arise In mass
and crush out the villainous schemes"
said the duke. But am glad they are
blind TO their own interests, for IL helps us
capitalists TO secure firm footing In the
New West"
Well" said the colonel, IL have often
heard that men can learn more OF them
selves through other peoples eyes than
through their own. / thank you, Mel
vorne, for having shown us some OF our
weaknesses, and where some OF the dan
gers to our nation lie. never know that
our American lands were being gobbled up
so fast, or that vast estates are being made
OF the very lands that our American farm
ers Will need TO make homes for them
selves aud their children"
TO DE CONTINUED.