, 1891-03-06
RATES or ADVERrI-INS,
WORNE ANO MORE or 1T.

The new land law passed By congress,
which embraces the absolute repeal Of the
timber culture and presumption acts, while
it at the same time renders it practically
impossible to comply with the provisions
Of the desert act and makes the home
stead law a delusion and snare, is the
most damnable blow that has ever been
aimed at the interest of the Door and
struggling people Of the West The
obliquity Of the transaction is deepened a
hundred fold by the pretense Of its Re
public champion, Payson Of Illinois, that
it was passed in the interest OF the poor,
but honest settler. AS l have said,
he remarked in his speech before congress
in advocacy of the bill, this is
perhaps the last act thst | shall
perform in public life with refer
ence to public matters and l
deem it a fit termination, an honor
to which I shall advert with pleasure,
that | am permitted by the partially Of
committee assignment TO take the lead IN
a reform which terminates with the land
legislation that this house Is now con
sidering. Il will be submitted to the
considerable judgment Of this house and
the larger judgment Of the people Of the
United States and will meet with their
approval This is the language Of the
Republican gentleman in the house and
through that body it was rushed with as
little regard for decency aud propriety as
though the force bill was again under con
sideration.
What is the true meaning OF the bll2
1t practically gives every big land owner
In the West a title to all the government
land which he has enclosed with his rail-
road land. Until nov any citizen or set
tier might 20 within the wire fences OF
big corporations and by filing a pre-emp-
ton claim secure title with comparative
ease while atthe same time earning hislIv-
ing elsewhere. Where is the settler now
who would undertake to live for five years
on such land to secure 100 acres Il at it is
impossible to i~rrigate2 He couldn't raise
crops because be couldn't get the water
with which to irrigate and the poor man
who undertook it would slowly starve to
death long before this generous American
government would give him title to the
paltry 100 acres OF arid land. 1t is a great
thing indeed for the big landowners.
They may rest secure in their possessions
aud in the thousands upon Thousands Of
acres Of government land which they have
enclosed with their own land to VIII oh they
make 10 pretensc OF ownership. Senator
Warren is doubtless happy for it will
leave him in undisturbed possession OF
hundreds Of acres of enclosed government
land to which he has no more title than
any other citizen of the United States.
The Sun had not a word to say y%ester-
dav in editorial condemnation Of this out
rage upon the West, Instead it prints a
telegram from Senator Warren saying
that the state university will get about
LOCO from the general government by
1892, iuiereutially claiming credit for the
same while at least half Of the sum
would have come as a matter Of course.
1t will be observed that everything is IN
the line of building up his own political
fences. The hardest fight in the Repub-
lican camp was made against Warren
senatorial aspirations by the Albany cOun-
ty delegation. Therefore all OF his efforts
were bent p o squaring these people and
and the disatfected ones in johnson
county. The remainder of the state is
allowed to look out for itself so far as he
concerned.