The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1903-12-05
PUBLIC LAND AND PUBLIC NOR
AIS,

PUBLIC LAND AND PUBLIC NOR
AIS.
The public domain of the United
States is being wiped off the map
at the rate of 10000, 900 of
acres year. Three-fourths of it is
going to speculative holders through
perversion of the various land laws
designed to benefit only actual set
tiers. The Desert Land Act, the
Stone and Timber Act and the COM
mutation clause of the Homestead
law have been turned into agencies
of spoliation, and now an attempt
has been made and probably is still
making to seize upon the Carey
Act, as a means of robbing settlers
and fraudulently enriching specula-
tors.
In Idaho, the public land suitable
to the condition of poor men, is
practically all gone. There is not,
perhaps, a thousand quarter Sec
tons left, upon which family can
make a living. There is land in
Idaho, to be sure, but it has nearly
all passed into private hands, and
we speak of the available public
domain. In the arid part of the
State, upon which must rest the
future agricultural greatness OF
Idaho, there are vast bodies of land
to be reclaimed, but unless the pro-
cess of reclamation is watched with
a jealous eye the bulk of the land
will fall into the hands of specula-
tors and development be retarded
by the very means intended to facil"
itate it. And, an unfortunate cir
cumstance in this connection is that
people have become so infatuated
with speculative ideas that they will
not see clear, but rather resent
honest inquiry and just criticism.
It would be reasonable to pre-
sumo that the people of the State,
upon being apprised that, by collu-
sion with spectators, the Legisla'
ture had enacted law intended to
J promote million acre land steal
, it would be reasonable to presume,
we say, that upon being apprised
| of such a fact, the people would
: become aroused to such a pitch OF
indignation as to incline them to
; extremes Of severity, but, in reality,
we find them temporizing. Dis.
: closure of the fraud awakens no re-
sentiment against the perpetrators;
} palpablelegislative corruption quick
t ems no apprehension Of public dan
ger, but the press, the people, the
t State authorities are tremendously
r moved lest some harm to the specu-
. lators come out of it. And this
5 shows the moral fiber of the State.
Let poor cuss steal a maverick,
play at cards, drink whiskey OF
5 cling to a plural wife and be
: found out, the moral sensibilities
= revolt in rage and denunciation,
i but if public officers and spectators
4 combine to steal millions and are
: found out, the moralities resent the
f disclosure and assume a more than
= Christ-like tolerance. By peculiar
grace, forgiveness and absolutior
e are measured out in inverse ratio t.
= the ofense. Steal a jack knife anc
i all humanity is stirred to horror
steal million and Christianity i;
e moved to sympathetic prayers ant
/ tears, and the angels of forgiveness
D abide with YOU and protect you
: and you are washed like a Rookie
:. teller without the pains of rel ent
t ance. The moral code ought t.
4 de6ne'the point at which crime at
/ tains sufficient magnitude to max
0 it respectable. If the farmer pu
t one stone in the potato sack, he il
E held up as red headed example o
4 total depravity. How many stone
t should he put in to be exalted tt
the glory of a public benefactorf