The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-02-03

SEATTLE. WEDNESDAY. FED. q
THE PUBLIC LANDS.


10 air one OF bis pet theories 70 che sfsscs
that ne government has been ex;raorei-
narily fs5eraI In rs bounfia~ "a farmers and
10 the nsg states OF ths West 5y dona-
lions Of public land. either % settlers under
ere homestead laws or to the state govern
rssnts direct far various uses. Re recently
,xrste an Introduction 90 a book published
b. JAMIE Clement Ambrose, OF Evans
vile. III, entitled - Mess O. Peas" Sec
retary Morton's Introduction IL written IN
. tone Of heavy aud would-be sarcastic
regularity, Of which the following is
sapsple:
up 70 thls blessed moment govern
rnent mas done relatively nothing Tor sgfi-
culture During the last thirty years, how
ever. by enaetmsnis. Il has Incidentally
given to farmers between 2ossD.1oo and s.oco.-
600 farms averaging more than eighty acres
each II has also psnuriously founded and
maintained during the last ten years agri-
cultural colleges and experiment stations
n every state and territory. There are ap-
propriased for experiment stations tlS0Vo
annually. and about 100000 Is annually
taken from the United States treasury for
colleges OF agriculture and mechanic arts.
children % the people and In which courses
OF instruction In agriculture are given.
pesides about fsoo Go In interest Is annu-
ally received by the different states and
territories from land grant funds held In
trust by them from proceeds OF the land
set OF 1852 Government also created an
executive department. for agriculture and
forgets commerce and manufacture en-
tirely. while 10 sppropristes more than
- a artrs
and in addition. paternaily disseminatss
a few hundred tons OF garden seeds annu-
ally for the glory OF gardens and the con-
Citation OF gGdgeous. What elssf Moth
Ing, Absolutely nothing
Tals is al very funny. but 1t might
probably ne inquired from what source
did the government acquire title 70 this
land. which. according to Secretary Nor
ton. II has lhus layishly donated. and how
does the treatment BY the Federal govern
msnt OF the Western states, on the land
question. compare with that accorded the
original states and those which were first
admitted into the Cnion7
TO answer the last part OF this inquiry
4 may be said that every one OF the origi-
nal states. on admission into the Union.
retained In the state title TO every acre OF
unsold land within its borders; and Maine.
Vermont. Tennessee. Kentucky. West Viz
GINA and Texas on admission also re-
tanned title TO all their waste and unoccu-
pied lands In none OF those states does
the United States now have. nor did II ever
own. one acre of land, unless such land
was acquired by donation or purchase.
with the consent of the state.
In all OF the other states admitted into
the Union the United States reserved 20
Itself the lille TO all Tansold lands. To ae-
auire tiue TO those lands. the people os the
newer states have contributed millions OF
dollars into the Golfers Of the Federal gov
crnment. Every dollar Of that money has
been taken out OF The relatively poor states.
and this has been one OF the most potent
factors In causing the money s,ringeney
from which the newer states all suffered
during the period OF their earlier settle
ment.
New. as 70 tho government title TO these
lands. In large portion OF the Western
on donation from the original states or
10y purchase from foreign countries. This.
however. was not the case with the states
or tho Pacific coast. The government title
% land In California was based upon cen
quest. confirmed by treaty. In oregon
and Washington. however. the territory
WAS acquired BY the United States BY
virtue OF original discovery ana occupaa-
cy. the discovery being by private cl.-
iseas of tire United States. acting IN no
oGieisl capacity; and The ''cccupa ncy'' bs-
ing eaualiy = private act, the occupants
being tho msn who. o. their descsndanta
az least. stir continue 20 i've IN the terri
tory 80 acquired
Not = Dollar o. the Federal money was
ever expended. snd not . fnaa in tire
military or navL force of tie Unlt>d
states ~as ever csiss upon % coutrinNts
a SAYS work - secure tae possession CO
ths lands withlA tac states 90 Crswon
SRI washiawton % the Feseral severn
mrnt TIE pioaesrs 40 crossca th.
Flains ~ thrir own EXPENSE ani settled
ana o.-gFiea ths iaass save to th. Unit-
81 states ~ tae,r setioa ihs uu. vAi.h
o. new vsaluls.
TIE people 90 oregon - wsssias-on
save this StuiaIa o. ths ssvsrauarat. as
u wm rrggirs hst 8 trtef v'Nncs - tse
teoates In conEress er ths ~orrxcn cass-
Uea" e. 80 hsu rs.arfaat tas rsnrss-rfa-
uvrs al re Fels7sl government vsrs 60
ao-rrs re princs'y s'ft
Wavi1g gvsa ca vE1is trrgItery n
iump 80 ths Fr'erai government. without
aaY tare.es eeasssFauon. thasa 60 re
resr.s cf this ststs wno tssirs 20 receive
assam pertier - o. sa-k have sssa -om-
relrf 60 parrasss O. u.ary i-rssares
aflncns - tousrs hsvs eesa psls inta
the Fe3eral trsasary ~ 80 peer'- 90
tsis state CT rrc-ez-rtien cttsuas coaI
49, timber claims. cen rlltr3 hoEu.st.sss
80 cash eosF'rs 90 'arf - sacant 90
p4i3 = uany umes ia sSccss g: tAe ar
srsrsts - 81 gasa- 1aenics ever sxrs-t-
- wisAia tae Asr3s-s 81 TIE state. 49,
ths peeP'e hsrs have Hksw3se pals their
aag rTeporttcosfs sAars 81 a. Te4ssA-
saxauan-
70 tax q sAs .saaa 50 lie Ualis1