The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-04
bottom Of INV heart for having given me

bottom of my heart for having given me
an invitation TO be present
And let me say another word while am
at it, Mr.. Carter has just been appointed,
or little while ago, to the position OF
commissioner of the general land once l
am glad that Western man has received
that appointment, but you can hardly
blame Eastern people for thinking that too
much land Is being given away IN the
several miles from Helena land Is worth
$40 or $50 or 800 foot and then talk
about giving away millions and millions oil
acres. Won can see how il strikes the aver
age man in Massachusetts,. Laughter
But for myself, am glad that Western
man has that place. and right here have
got hobby about lands. You know there
has been a great deal said in this country
about single tax and all that kind of bust
ness, but I have got hobby on the sub
iect Now my hobby is this, that that land
will be the most prosperous that has the
most land owners in 1t: 1t will be the most
prosperous where the men who own the
land pillow the land it viii be the most
prosperous the more homes there are in 1t:
consequently am in favor of exempting
home of q certain value, all homes. from
every kind of taxation. as we'll as from
forced sale for any reason whatever. APP
plause.l Say what you please, the home
Is the unit of good government. Now
there is the next step. If you want 10
build railroad from here to somewhere,
and of course you do llaughterl, the law IS
so that that railroad can condemn the land
necessary for its construction. Now
want the law so in every state OF this
union that if any man or corporation owns
above a certain amount of land. that GER
tain amount of land is TO be fixed in each
state according TO what is done with that
land; that If any person or corporation
owns more than a certain amount of land
and won't sell it, that you can condemn 1t
for home exactly as you would for rail-
road loud applausel, and let twelve men
pass upon the value and let the man that
wants the home pay what il is worth and
take it. | don't believe in robbing any
human being under the sun simply because
he has got more land than he ought to
have, but believe in saying TO that man,
eff you want to make your home upon
certain land, and the owner, although ne
has plenty of land, refuses to sell, go into
the court and nx the price, because We do
not want nation OF tenants; we want
a nation of home owners. Loud APP
plause.l | tell you 1t IS pretty hard
to get a man to shoulder a mus
ket for a clearinghouse. Laughter
and applause. Very few are willing to
fight for the landlord; rather fight the
landlord. Now, if this commissioner of
the land Office will do all he can, and be-
lieye he will, to give every man home on
the public domain who is entitled to it,
and in the language of your governor, will
keep il from the rapacity of spectators or
of corporations and give it to the man
that really wants TO plow it, that really
wants 10 raise something for himself and
family and add to the wealth and prosper
ity of the state-if he will do that he will
be the best land commissioner that has
ever sat in the place, in my judgment.
TAppIause. But it may be well enough
for me TO say that you must not expect too
much of him, because he cannot make the
laws, the laws are there, and besides all
that there is another above him at pres
ent. Laughter and applause So you
mustn't expect too much. All that you
have a right 10 ask is that he do his
level best in that direction, and believe
he will. from the confidence that you
have expressed in him. That of itself is
a certificate that he is going to do what
he can.
And now, gentlemen, having said these
few words on the toast of our visiting
friends, all of which you will see is applica-
bic, and again thanking you for the invita-
ton and the opportunity to be present. l
will say no more