The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-21

| stead bill,at hand. 1 am a member Of the
committe on Public Lands and this bill
has not as yet been brought up in the
committee, so I do not desire to speak as
! to what my position will be on the bill
but viii say this: 1 am IN favor of car
rying- out the pledge in the republican
| platform and it is only a question with
me as to the provisions of the bill itself
/ am in most hearty sympathy with the
! the principle Of homesteads and do not
| believe that our public domain can be
better disposed Of than in this way and
the sooner in the hands of individuals,
tho better it Will be"
| Senator Hatfield, of Idaho: Replying
| to your communication Of January s, re-
| garding the Free Homes bill, 1 have the
| honor 10 say inst III, people Of Idaho are
| scar, ely less interested in the passage of
| that measure than are the people of Ok
lahoma. The question, to me, resolves
itself into one as to whether thousands
| Of honest, hard working citizens Of my
| state shall have homes under the terms
and according to the conditions by which
! the public domain has always heretofore
been allotted to settlers, or whether they
shall be homeless.
7 favor the passage Of the Free
Homes bill and expect TO continue to do
| so until it becomes a law
Senator Hansbrough. chairman Senate
on public lands: Your letter of recent
date received, in reply thereto would
state that I am in favor Of the enact
ment of the Free Homes bill "
CCrrpreccr7,ar, CbarFa-, I,,-+iy
Answering your letter Of recent date, I
have always favored free homes for Ok
lahoma. It will give me great pleasure
to assist Mr.. Flynn if We can confine the
vote to Oklahoma or to lands which have
been paid for. l oppose the general bill
because it would cost this government in
the neighborhOod Of sixty million dollars
You, no doubt remember that it was up
on my motion that the Flynn Free Home
bill was reported from the committee the
first time"
Congressman r. R. Hit, of Illinois: 81
have yours of the 9Th in regard to Mr..
Flynn's Free Homes bill. I talked with
Mr. Flynn about it yesterday, and intend
t. SUPPORT it.
your remarks about old college asso-
ciates are very interesting, especially
" hat you say of your brother-in-law, Mr.
Ellis Lewis. l have not heard from him
in many years, and as l remember him
as a young gentleman Of marked ability
and attractive character, your reference
to him is deeply interesting to me"
Congressman Schackleford, of Missouri:
Your favor of Dec 20, is at hand.
shall be glad to aid Mr. Flynn in any
measure beneficial TO your territory. l
am his TO command on that score
Congressman w. A. Calderhead of
Kansas: Your letter of the 9th is at
hand, and as you know 1 am in favor
of the Free Homes bill. 1 need not ex-
tend this letter into reasons for ii now
will exert myself at every opportunity
for it, and I believe the house is in favor
of 1t again. 1 have not had an opportu-
nifty to talk with any senators concerning
ii, but viii interest all those with whom
/ have a personal acquaintance and in
huence. Many Of my old neighbors and
comrades are citizens Of Oklahoma, and
have been my warmest personal friends
for years, and l feel the same interest in
them as if they were my own constitu-
ea.s.'
Senator Forakers private secretary
answered that when the bill comes up
the Senator will give it his favorable con-
sideration.
Congressman c. H. Grosvenor of Ohio:
Il have always supported the Free Homes
bill and shall continue to do so Just as
long as it is strictly within the limits of
the original purpose of the bill. When it
is overloaded with a hundred schemes of |
piUnder as it was when it came back !
from the Senate in the oath Congress, I |
may not see my way clear to follow it |
up. If Mr.. Flynn will stand by his bill |
and that bill relates only to public lands
open to the operation Of the homestead
policy of the United States no man will |
stand more earnestly by Mr.. Flynn than |
1 will"
Congressman ]. D. Bowersock of Kan I
sas: Il have your letter of the 9Th, refer
ring to the Free Homes bill I have not |
as yet examined this bill with enough |
care to speak of its particular merits l !
am in accord with what I understand TO |
be its design. The first political docu-
ment Of which I have any recollection
was a published speech of Roscoe Conk-
ling, under this caption, Free Homes for
Free Men This was in the very early
days Of the republican party. the party
that have always believed makes pledg-
es and fulflls them. and within reason
able and equitable lines I believe it will /
DO so now. Not simply because it has
made promise, but because sometimes it
s better to retreat than TO advance along
ines that experience has demonstrated
cad to failure, but because the hardy.
earnest, honest pioneer, those who blaze
and level the way for expansion of edu-
,ation. commerce and industry. ought to
nave wise support and generous protec-
ion"