The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-05-23

or That We tRko tue pAupefa OF any
country. but We do want every honest man
that comes here and wants to make = living,
and We ought to welcome him with both
arms wide open. We have got lots OF room
here.
Now, 10 much TO my toast of ''Our Visit
ing Ftisnds,'--I believe that IL tho toast.
Who the visiting friends arc ] don't know.
] am the only one that ! know and can say
that ! am welcome, a. far ~ am con-
cerned daughter md ] can further say
that ! thank You all from the bottom OF my
heart for having given me an invitation to
be present.
And let me say another word while l nm
at it. Mr.. Carter has just been appointed,
or n little while ago, to the position OF COM
missioner Of the general land Office, 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 III the west; whsn
we read In the papers that several miles
from Helena land is worth $40 or $50 or
away millions and millions Of acres, You
can zoe how it strikes the average man
in Massachusetts. Laughter. But for
myself, l am glad that Il western man has
that place, and right here l have got n hob
bv about lands. You know thore has been
. great deal said in this country about
single tax and all that kind Of business,
but | have got a hobby Oh the subject.
Now my hobby is this, that that land will
BIO the most prosperous that has tho most
landowners In it; it will be the most pros
porous where the men who own the land
who pillow the land; 1t will be the most
prosperous tho more homes there are in it;
consequently l am in favor of e%xempting a
home Of a certain value, all homes, from
every kind of taxation, as we'll az from
forced sale for any reason whatever. APP
plause. Say what you please, the house
is the unit OF good government. o there
Is the next step. If YOU want to build a rail
road from here to somewhere, and Of course
you do laughter the law is 40 that that
railroad can condemn the land necessary
for its construction. Now | want the law
10 in every state in this union that If any
man or corporation owns above 4 certain
amount OF land, that certain amount oil
land ia to be fixed in each state according
to what is done with that land; that if any
person or corporation owns moro than {
certain amount of land and Won't sell it
that you can condemn it for a homo exact
" as you would for a railroad loud ap-
plause ami let twelve men pass upon the
value and let the man that wants the HON.
pay what it is worth and take it. | dom
believe in robbing any human being undel
the sun simply because he has got more
land than he ought to have, but | believe
in saying to that man, ''if you want ia
make your home upon certain land, and tn
owner, although he has plenty of land. TO
fuses to sell, go into the court and fix TIL
price, because We do not want
nation of tenants; We van a nation o
home owners. Loud applause. / tell yo'
it il pretty hard to get a man to shoulder
musket for a boarding house. Laughte
and applause. Very few are willing t
fight for ths landlord; rather fight tn
landlord. Now if this commissioner of tn
land Office will do all he can, and l beliey
he will, to give every man q home on tn
public domain who is entitled to it. and i
the language of your governor; will keep
from the rapaeity of spectators or of cor
p%orations and give it to the man that reall
wants to pillow it, that really wants to rails
something for himself and family and ad
to the wealth and prosperity of the state;
he will do that, he will be the best Ian
commissions that has ever sat in the place
in my judgment. [Applause. But it ma
be we'll enough for me to say that you mus
not expect too much of him, because h
cannot make the laws; the laws are there
and beside all that. there is another abov
him-at present. Laughter and applause,
So you mustn't expect too much. Ali thatyo
have a right to ask is that he do his levs
best in hat direction and l believe he will
from the confidence that you have ex presse
in him. That of itself is q certificate tina
he ia going to do What he can.
And now, gentlemen, having said thes
few words on the toast of our visitin
friends, all of which you will see is applici
BILE, and again thanking you for the inyit,
ton and the opportunity to be present,
will say no more. Loud applause, lon
continued.