The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-11
The Free Homes" Humbug.

Congressman Eddy has evidently de-
| termined to build his hopes of fame
! and of a reelection upon the so-called
free homes" bill, in whose behalf he
| has been displaying his Unlicensed
stores of eloquence. Mr.. Eddy is wise
enough to hide his talent sedulously in
a napkin most Of the time Inasmuch
as a congressman. however, must have
some speech making record to exhibit
to his constituents, Mr.. Eddy has cho-
| sen this bill as one most likely to ap
| peal to an agricultural community, and
has made advocacy of it his bid for re-
election.
Not for many day has more out
rageous and indefensible act been pro-
posed to the representatives Of the peo-
pie for their approval. The title free
| homes" has been tackled onto it to soft
en-. by benevolent caption. the utter
ly vicious qualities of it's contents.
| Free homes" suggest all sorts of good
! things, recall the homestead law and
| promise solace and help to the tiller
| of the soil. What this bill actually
| provides is that the government of the
| United States shall make a gift Of not
less than $50.O0O,0OO in cash to certain
| individual citizens Of the United States,
who are no more entitled to that aid
than any others.
In the process of breaking up
Indian reservations, allotting lands
| in severalty and disposng of or
| holding the remainder in trust for
! the red men themselves, the gov
| eminent has obtained control Of large
| quantities of Indian lands, and has dis.
| posed Of a portion of them to actual
settlers. The government, in this case.
| acts merely as agent and trustee. It
| sells the lands to actual settlers, ac-
| cepts part payment, collects the bal
! ance and turns the moneys into a fund
which 1t is obliged to pay to the In
! dams from whom the lands were OBJ
| tanned.
The settlers who have taken I'D this
| land did so with full knowledge of the
! conditions, and were exceedingly glad
! of the opportunity. Where they bought
| and paid money down they got value
received, and are in precisely the same
| position as men who have bought from
| the government direct, or from a rail-
| road company or an Individual They
| have the land. They have paid soma-
| thing upon It, They have agreed to
| pay the balance in cash. Now comes
| this precious free homes" amendment
| to the Indian appropriation bill, pro-
viding that all these obligations shall
be abolished, and that the settlers on
ceded Indians lands shall have full
title without further payment, and
| that a1raadIr wi no
be refunded
1t Is impossible to tell at this mo-
ment just how much money the passage
| Of this bill would cost the people, but
| 1t Is estimated at about $50, 000, 900. A
direct appropriation of $4,000 900 would
be necessary to pay the sum that the
| government owes the Indians, for
which it is dependent upon the proceeds
of sales. Upon other lands that have
| been purchased outright from the In
dams, who are to be paid upon their
sale. $4,000, 900 is due. OF course, there
| would instantly be claims to the
amount OF uncounted millions claims
| perfectly equitable and just, by per-
sons who have purchased lands in the
past and paid for them, to have their
AiiohCS iCloA HCu. 1HSlC dIS dlSO ItlStuy
| million acres Of land included within
reservations not yet open to settlers, to
which the same policy would have to
| be applied. We do not believe that it
Is an exaggeration to say that the cost
Of this free homes" business would
range from S75.OOO,0OO to 500, 600, 900 be-
fore we had done with it.
What now is the demand for this?
What element of justice and reason is
there behind 1t? 1t rests upon nothing
on earth but the desire to buy votes.
Its animating spirit is that which was
behind every fraudulent pension bill or
claim ever brought to public notice 1t
Is merely a bid for votes, on the as
sumption that the free homes" clause
will fool the ignorant farmer, and make
him believe that his representative was
doing something particularly noble in
| Offering to spectators and land grab
bers free" lands; which were free only
| to them. but cost the United States
government possibly double the amount
appropriated for national defense.
When we had unlimited quantities of
public land, it may be that it was well
enough for us to bestow 1t literally.
The idea that the government should
buy lands for cash. either from the In
dams or from any other holders, In or
der to give them away. is the utmost
| stretch Of paternalism to which any
party or any individual has yet gone.
The free homes" proposition is the
most atrocious piece of favoritism and
extravaganza that ever came before
congress, and we cannot believe that
even utter recklessness and prodigality
will succeed in passing it. Every con-
| stituent Of Mr.. Eddy who contributes
in taxes to the support of the govern
ment should whet his sickle and sharp
en- his pitchfork to deal with repre-
sentative so false to the public interest
and SO open to the demagogue's mean
| est resources.
The Difference.