Omaha daily bee., 1899-07-20
Law THATPEOPLED The WEST
History Of the Homestead Act and It's
Bsnsfcent Results.
PROMOTED BODYBUILDING AND HAPPINESS
Political Features of the Struggle
which eliminated in the Passage
of the Act-CompIexion Of the
Vote I'm Congress-

man is serving in the popular branch q,
congress who Is often mentioned as having
received the largest majority ever cast for
any candidate for any Office in any state OF
the union. This is Galusha A. Grow, one of
tne congressman at large from Pennsylvania,
VINO had greater plurality in 1895 than even
the uneNampled lead gained by William Nc
hinley in the same state in that year. But
MIR. Grow has far greater claim to distinc-
ton than this gives him. writes Charles VI.
Harvey in the ST. Louis Globe Democrat.
strangely enough, It is never mentioned.
He has right to be considered the author
OF the homestead act which was signed by
president Lincoln on May 90, 1852. and which
went into operation January /, 1853. Under
the provisions OF this act, which provides
free homes for actual settlers. more than
100000 acres OF public lands were entered
in 1898, and over 200 900 900 acres since it
went into effect, thirty-six and a half years
ago. 1t has peopled and erected into states
many localities which otherwise would still
have been in the wilderness. It was, in It's
effects, one OF the most benefcent laws ever
placed upon the national statute book.
Horace Greeley. writing in 1882 declared
that millions upon millions OF acres" Of
the public domain had been squandered
or passed over to the hands OF spectators
or monopolists by the action Of the national
government during the last few years" and
asked; Shall the public domain be open
20 monopoly by spectators, leading in
evitably to landed aristocracy. or shall
1t be reserved for actual occupants. in small
quantities at a nominal price, or without
price," This query. which began to pre-
sent itself TO the minds OF many thoughtful
persons even before Greeley spoke. was
answered thus by the free soil party at its
national convention at Buffalo on August
g. ls4S, the first national gathering OF that
party: Resolved, That the free grant to
actual settlers OF reasonable por-
tions OF the public domain lands. under
suitable limitations, Is wise and just meas
ure Of public policy which will promote, in
various ways, the interests OF all the states
of this union; and we, therefore, recommend
It TO the favorable consideration OF the
American people" The free soil party, at
its second and last convention lin 1882. the
one which nominated John P. Hale of New
Hampshire for president, and George W.
Julian of Indiana for vice president, declared
in it's platform that the public lands Of the
United States belong to the people, and
should net be sold to individuals nor
granted to corporations, but should be
held as sacred trust for the benefit of the
people. and should be granted, in limited
Fought for Free Lands.
4 greater party than the free solers-a
party which comprised the free soilers. the
larger portion of the wings, the political
sbolitionists and the anti-slavery section OF
the democrats and the know nothings. or
Americans, all of whom entered into a CO.
alition after the enactment of the Kansas |
Nebraska act of 1854 to fight slavery extern |
sion into the territories-the republican |
party took up the free lands question early |
in Its career. In the first session Of the |
congress of 1872. which served during the !
earlier half OF Buchanan's administration, |
and was democratic in both branches, |
Galusha A. Grow OF Pennsylvania, intro
duced bill in the house of representa-
tives which provided that from and after |
the 1st day OF September, A. D. 1858, no |
public lands shall be exposed to sale by |
proclamation of the president until the |
same shall have been surveyed, and the |
return thereof in the land office for at least |
ten years" The object OF Grows bill was |
TO give the actual settler under the pre- |
emption law then in force ten years prece-
dence over the spectators and land mo- |
nopolists, and let him have a chance TO |
clear up his farm. put 1t in cultivation, and |
pay its price from its proceeds. The bill |
was defeated by a vote OF 70 (59 repub- |
iFCaDs ana IA ueLuOCEdtsl lot 10 tS vi DEM
ocrats and 7 know nothings) against. The |
fourteen democrats who voted with the fifty
nine republicans for the bill were almost |
all from the north, belonged TO the Douglas |
element OF their party, and most OF them
became republicans subsequently. The |
seven know nothings, or Americans, were
from the south and almost all OF them ba-
came democrats when, at the beginning OF |
the war of secession, their party, as we'll |
as all the other minor political sects, van
ished from the. stage
In the latter part OF the same session,
January %, 1859. a bill relating to pre-
emptions OF land being before the house |
Mr.. Grow offered TO 1t an amendment on |
the same lines as his previous measure |
The southern democrats were Immediately |
aroused against the amendment, but, to
save their northern colleagues from embar-
rassment motion was made to send the
bill and the amendments to the committee
of the whole, so as to put the measure out
OF reach for the remainder OF the term