The Irish standard., 1898-10-29

Companion to Guaranty Loan.
Two years ago, although somewhat
late in the campaign, attention was
called to the manner in which the State
of Minnesota was defrauded out OF more
than 5000 acres of land i'll the western
part Of the state by the Russell Sage
Hastings &; Dakota--lana grant fraud,
better known as the Hastings & Dakota
steal. In the time that has elapsed the
matters come home to individuals and
people and come into the campaign with
peculiar applicability, from two facts.
First, that the settlers on the lands are
being elected therefron; and second,
that the instrument or attorney in Rus
sell Sagc's evictions Is THE REPUB-
LICAN CANDIDATE FOR LIEU
TENANT GOVERNOR, LYNDON A,
SMITH, of CHIPPEWA COUNTY,
Two years ago the state Democratic
committee officially stated the case from
the records, and from the same source
the Reform Press now presents the fol-
lowing summary:
Hastings and Dakota Grant,
The land grant of the Hastings q
Dakota railroad had never been finally
adjusted, but in the course OF time the
supposed rights remaining due under it
had come into the ownership Of Russell
Sage the many times millionaire OF
New York. In what manner this oc-
CURED, and how the hocus pocus has
been worked to keep the lands from tho
tax assessment rolls, is not important to
the case now. Concerning the grant it
self. the facts are old to most residents
of tho western portion of the state. Con-
gress granted the lands away back IN
1866, reserving, and 10y subsequent act
continuing to withhold, such lands i'll
the certain belt, as might have
been taken by the settlers.
In the years following there
were numerous changes, ial'ses and eX-
tensions, during which time settlers con-
tinued to go upon the lands which the
railroad company expected to Obtain,
and tho question of title and ownership
became greatly complicated. One thing
remained clear, however, that people
settled OH lands in good faith and went
on to make their homes and improve
",
;iMvaluc.
Where Sage Comes In.
:. ( In due time tile Hastings & Dakota
company dissolved, and what it pos
sessed. or expected to possess, passed, as
has been said, into the hands of Russell
Sage. What remained? The people
claimed that nothing remained, but that
the lands belonged to those who had SO.
cured them under the government laws
and the protection of the state. This
matter has been ayitated for years and
reached several sessions of the lcgiSla-
turo, and was the stock in trade of sew
eral very active Republican politicians.
It came to Il head in the session of 1873,
under the efforts of twoSrch politicians,
respectively, Representative j. L. jacob
son, of Lac q,li Prle, in the House. and
Senator Il. H. Young, Of Swift county, i'll
the Senate, as representatives from tho
region where many of the victims of
what has come to pass resitlG-,or did be-
fore elected from their homes. Those
gentlemen made the campaigns of their
lives for their friends and ,eighbors. OPP
pressed by these adverse claims on tho
part Of Russell Sage. The Hastings &,
Dakota land grant was more talked of
than any other proposed legislation of
the period. In a previous session
something had been attempted, but not
till the session of '95 was success att
tanned. These defenders of the poor
settlers" united the whole Republican
strength of both houses for the bill they
agreed on which declared IL forfeiture
of I'LL rights and interests of Sage aud
any one else but the settlers occupying
the lands. Lands not occupied by set
tiers became the property of the state.
This was agreed to he the only way in
which relief could be had for those pro-
pie in that part of the state
Where the People Go Out.
Senator Young. by agreement wifi,
Representative jacobson, introduced
The bill in the senate, and piloted it
through that body. II passed there OF,
the 18th Of April by II vote Of ,2 to G.
Then Mr.. jacobson took it up in til,
house. where it passed on the l3tl, OF
April by Il vote of 30 to /. While botl
managers talked much of corporate op
position to the measure, and cxIende,
oratory galore. it was notorious that
there was little or no opposition to the
measure from the railroad lobby. which
usually fought such legislation. The
reason came out later. The bill bccarlt
law on tie 18th of April by being
a. signed by the Republican governor ant
being deposited in the office of secretary
Of state. and the Legislature a few day!
later adjourned When it was safel,
departed then was the discovery mad,
that on the 18th of April. FIVE DAYS
BEFORE GOVERNOR CLOUGH Hal
SIGNED THE FORFEITURE BILL
THERE, HAD BEEN MADE. SIGNED
SEALED AND DELIVERED. BY THU
SAME GOVERNOR. a DEED Fol
THE STATE. TO THE SAME RUS
s -LLSAt7E. FOR THE VERY LAND'
DECLARED FORFEITED BY TIL
YOUNG BILL. Thus. nc
I'm Awkward situation.
There is no objection to giving this n,
publicity hccause the man in the cc, c !. V.
finds an opening to relate the ;ncil III III,
lie does not do SO.
II wa; something OF a hoy orit1r NJ!
SELF" lu m0dcstly admits. and i'll school
was quite the usual thing frF visitors
tj,,: CT MI 50