The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-01-15

.mutation clause of the homestead
law gives them a chance to take up
16O acres with but the barest pretense
of residence, and that for only four
teen months. The timber and stone
act enables them to acquire forests
and quarries for a bagatelle, and to
hold them for speculative advances.
Frank Stockton left the hero OF
his famous tale %hesitating before two
doors. If he opened one it meant life
and happiness, if the other death; and
the question was never answered.
1.-The Lady of the Tiger?"
Uncle Sam stands at the door of the
arid region. His foot is on the thresh-
old, his hand is on the latch.
Shall it be the home-maker or the
Spectator? Shall it be life and happi-
ness for millions or a riot and a car
nival of speculation at the expense OF
the people? There is but n way
to answer the question in the interest
of the nations welfare-that is to
repeal the existing land laws in &C
cordance with the presidents recon-
mendation.
Ireland's Great Lesson for America.
Two very big things have already
happened in the brief history of the
twentieth century. Each of these
things makes for the greater economic
freedom of the race; each represents
a lofty conception of craftsmanship.
Both. were undertaken by English
speaking peoples-the n by Great
Britain, the other by the United
States; the one the presentation to
the English parliament of the Wynd-
ham bill for the restoration of the
land to millions of people in Ireland,
the other the passage, a year ago,
of the national irrigation act, which
aims to make homes for millions OF
people in the arid region of the west.
Between these two great measures
there is a singular analogy. Both OF
them deal with the foundation princi-
pies of civilization. They aim to give
mar a secure foothold in the soil; they
aim to put him in possession of the
primal means of existence; they recog-
nize his right to participate in the
ownership of natural wealth.
The event in Ireland marks the last
gasp of a dying feudalism. The event
in America marks the entrance upon
a new and momentOus stage of that
policy of material conquest over new
| areas, which is the real secret of pros
perity and greatness of the republic.
Both events do infinite credit to the
governments which brought them
about, and both are hopeful signs OF
the tendency Of the times.
But those who are familiar with
what is going on in the west, strange
as it may seem, look with a certain
envy on Ireland. She is dealing with
a problem almost identical with our
own. The only difference is the diff
ference between rebuilding an old
house and building a new one; but
she has learned a lesson which we
must learn in order to realize the full
benefit Of the policy on which we
have entered. This lesson. is that
there is no peril to the peace of a
country like the peril of land monop'
oily.
Land monopoly robs men of a large
portion of the products of their labor.
1t nullifies the spirit of constitutional
guarantees which seek to give assur
ance of political freedom. No mar is
free in the true sense of the tern
who is beholden to another for the
means of his existence, and land mo
nOpoly makes rebels instead o.
patriots. In the case of Ireland il
drove more than half the population
away from the native soil. 1t filled
their hearts with bitterness, and ever
sent some of her children into the
ranks of Englands enemies in the hou.
t when her life was at stake.
: On the other hand, it is a we'll recog
t nized truth that no nation can hav,
: a better bulwark than millions o
men who Owl their own homes. l
has been we'll said that mo man eve,
3 went to war in defense of his board
ing house."
All these things are familiar enough
2 to thoughtful people. Why say then
e again? For this reason: The crush
| ing burden which Ireland is now pre-
l pairing to slip from her shoulders tn
American people are proceeding b.
means of a subtle and silent process
. to take upon their own. There is dar