The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-27
JUST A SQUARE EA
Is All the Free-Homer Is Ask
ing of Congress.
FARMER ARGUES THE CASE
Measure Not Merely Badly
Needed, but Is Just

Pawnee, O. T.. Jan. 26-The Courier will
this week publish a very thorough and
able article on the subject of free homes,
contributed by J. H. Cox, a farmer OF
Pawnee county, who says, under date of
January Is:
Does congress need enlightenment on
the subject of free homes for Oklahoma?
Governor Barnes in an interview since
his return from Washington says they do.
The writer was somewhat surprised on
reading the above. emanating as it does
from so high a source, and yet l must
say if the opinions or Judgment OF any
considerable number of congressman or
senators are made up from the Oklahoma
press reports, OF bountiful crops, high
prices for produce, cattle on a thousand
hills, large bank deposits, etc, Governor
Barnes statement is most lamentably
true-congress does need enlightenment.
Perhaps the words of Pope might here
apply, He best can paint them who shall
feel them most" Believing that congress
will be more impressed by facts as they
actually exist than by all the eloquence
that may be brought to bear upon the
subject. a homesteader who has been ten
years a farmer in Oklahoma, rbegs leave
to submit few facts and reasons why
the settlers in Oklahoma are deserving of
free homes.
To begin with let us go back to what is
termed "Old Oklahoma" They had their
homes free; right at the start they knew
To no iras mt Of
the homestead law they would receive a
free title to their lands The Sac and
Fox, the Cheyenne and Arapahoe and
finally that great country known as the
Cherokee Strip was thrown open to set
Element under the provisions Of the home
stead act but with a condition, that con-
dition being that in addition TO fulfilling
all of the requirements of the homestead
laws, a price was required Of from one
to two and half dollars per acre. This
leaves the citizen of Oklahoma in a very
anomalous situation. Old Oklahoma not
only gets her land free, but the settlers
of all the ands subsequently opened were
compelled to pay tribute to her; first, the
Sac and Fox paying from fifty cents to
one dollar per bushel for corn, with other
cereals in proportion. Then comes the
Cheyenne and Arapahoe duplicating the
above prices. and finally the Strip coun-
try for two years drawing upon this
Egypt" for corn at fifty TO seventy-fve
cents per bushel the writer paid forty
cents for seed oats for two years; both
crops. failed.
Let congress bear in mind that the press
of Old Oklahoma dominates the press of
u =
field, having larger plants and greater cir
eulation. Now ON the principle of where
Il mans treasure is there will his heart
be-" the paramount question with them
is not free homes, but immigration and
statehood, hence their cry of great yields
and wonderful prosperity. Their publish
ed yield of wheat reaching in one in
stance (crop of go ifty-eight bushels per
acre. is marvellous Such yields, if con-
tinued would soon drive "Salzer," the
celebrated seed man, out of business.
I will quote now from Governor Barnes
report for the year ending June 50, 1899.
In his list Of taxable property for the
year 1899 by counties, Pawnee county is
shown to have. an assessed valuation
of $1,000 70S. This might be misleading if
not explained. The Usage reservation is
attached to Pawnee county for terrific
rial and judicial purposes. and about one
half of the above amount is chargeable
to cattlemen. traders and lessees of lands
in the Usage reservation. To te exact,
herewith present the total taxable prop
erty of all kinds taken from the treasur-
er's books for the year 1899 of Pawnee
county proper, to-wit: $500 695. Deduct
-.
free homes measure: Pawnee city, $780,
$50; villages of Cleveland, Blackburn,
Usage City and Ralston. S27.143. and $780,
564 for decided land in Pawnee county, and
we have a balance left of $44i,40S. the as
sessed valuation of the homesteader's
property, including their houses. stables,
fences, household furniture and all per-
sonal property of lessees of Indian and
school lands. Now let US see what our
debt IS to the government after six years
of occupation:
Original charge per quarter section. 800
Simple interest at 1 per cent per an
mum for six years .................... &C
Final fees flor convenience of fig
ureS .........-. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 4
Total to September 1s. 1892. ..........s5a0
Governor Barnes report shows that
there are 100000 acres fled on in Pawnee
county. Deduct 5000 acres decided Cthis
amount estimated, leaving 275.C10 acres,
or lis quarter sections at 500 each
equals $4,000 due the government. Day
county has 10000 acres filed on. with but
s3es.66S taxable property, Including coun-
Is seat. villages. etc. Dewey county has
10000 fled on. with but $685. go taxable
property all told.
Let US consider another prominent fac
tor in making up the $40 e9o910 taxable
property for the territory. In P7wnea
county. where ! have acress TO the rec
ords about sSa59po IS assessed to aliens.
and when We consider the vast herds Of
cattle (5eing grazed in all the western
countless owned by the Texas and Kan
sas barons who by leasing our vacant
school lands az the nominal sum % ten
cents per acre, get free sraciag on the
-, $50 acres OF pubIic lands. which. az
ter from six 10 eight years subject 10 en-
try. stin remain unsettled Wi! not
undertake 10 estimate the number or val
ne % these cattle, my purpose being to
conins the statements in this article %
facts and figures. Should this article
reach the ears Of congress. il VIII be seen
that the settlers. after six wears e strug-
Cling. toil. deprivation and poverty. have
scarcely half Of the Eears necessary L.
pay the amount now due the government
Perhaps some honorable member viii
here arise ana ask why il is thai we are
sa I2or when catae-fs.fsi1z has b=ea Sd
proG5ahle. why did you not save vour in