Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1904-05-06
THE sNIVELING P. P.

The Pioneer Press, in reviewing the
Fork Of the session of congress just
hosed. says:
But its failure to repeal the
z desert land law and the commu-
tRtion clause of the homestead
law is neither comprehensi BILE or
excusaple. Its representation
j has put and will put into the
hands of speculato1s and barons
4 millions Of acres of land which
a should have been reserved for
bona fide homesteaders whose
occupation of those lards will
now be Indefinitely postponed and
4 will be made only after paying
toll to those, already amply pro-
vided with this worlds goods.
This betrayal by congress Of tie
interests Of the country has dona
i even more. To the extent that
the spectators can succeed in
the next twelve monthsif
even then these iniquitous and
4 laws ale repealed in taking up
the irrigable lands, to that extent
the appropriations under tho III.
rigation bill potentially one of
the most bene6cent measures ever
passed by any legislature will
he diverted to the pockets Of a
few shrewd capitalists where its
u 81 benefits should have been direct
1y distributed to thousands Of
actual settlers and indirectly
distributed to every manufact-
NJ urer, merchant and labo1er in II
the country, al of whom would
~ have shared in the wealth this
population would have created
out of the vivified soil.
What a pitiful wall the Pioneer
Press is making And why this out.
burst Of indignation, this display Of
ssolicitude for the interests of The
imam ufacturer, merchant and labor.
Let DIS sss n hat ais the 2. II.
The communication clause Of the home
stead law has been q god-send |. tc
thousands and thousands Of settlers
in North Dakota and all western
states. The desert land law has beer
ION the statute books for many years.
Not until recently since the creation
Sof a fund Of $780, per year for edu.
scational purposes on certain lines
I has there been any noticeable demand
for the repeal of these laws. That
they are beneficial tc the homesteadel
and home seeker no o.e can deny.
If the operation Of these laws has
put and will put into the hands OF
SPECTATORS and land barons millions
Of acres Of land, = it has been done
and will be done in open violation of
the law. IL the interests which
ale spending fifty thousand dollars q
year to terify the weak and unsuspect.
ing with stories of the plans Of the
a land barons. = believed in the silly
rot they are spreading throughout the
country at SO mucn per line, they
would have these same barons arrested
and punished for violating the
communication and desert land laws.
The government has the reputation OF
spending any amount of money neces-
sAry to punish violators of the law
snd il is fair to presume that the man
Who charges fraud should be able to
pint it ont, and if there is fraud the
government will do the rest. No
flar Of that. The violent Mysteries
which the P. P. and its Tx are suff-
cling at this time are probably duo to
tie fact that the plans Of certain
who are DESTROYS Of selling
ala high price lands which were
ether given to them by the govern
msht or which they obtained from
eiaM grant railroads at from rs cents
I to III: 25 per acre, have been knocked
inb a cooked hat. It il a source Of
grHiHcation to the people Of North
DaAota to know that their represen Il
atiRs ia congress have stood firm for
the interests Of the homesteader.
! The Maxwell gang of grafters may
succeed next year in complishing
thef purpose, hut the people are safe
fol mother year. IN the meantime
1.-THE Door old 2. z. can looks on and
cry It's eyes out about ssthe betrayal
by pngress Of the interests of the
couItry, and Maxwell can work
oyettime on his bure au Of mis-infor-
lnatlon.
4 -=--------s
NV line Of rugs and carpets just
arriled at j. GOLDBERG s 4 If