Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-03-28
CHAMP CHAMPION
OF HONESTEADER
Speaker Leaves Chair to Make
Strong Plea for Proposed
Amendment Of Laws to
Benefit Homeseeker.

Especial Corresponasncs 60 enc msruia1
Washington, y. c.. March "a
speaker Clark on Tuesday Iefe the
chair long enough 20 make a speech
on the floor In support OF the bill 10
amend the homestead laws The bin
provides that throe4year period
shall be sufficient IN which 60 prove
up on homestead claims, The only
homestcuds on the continent except
In the United States have a three
year homestead law Canada has a
three-year homestead law, and Texas.
which manages is own lands. has a
three-year homestead.
Mr.. Clark. In advocating the bill,
said:
mr.. Chairman; In the carly days
Of the ropublio the speakers Frequent
" took part In debate. For some
reason---i do not know whal-shat
custom has fallen into ''innocuous de-
suetude," to use Mir. Clevcland's fam
Gus phrase. have notion, not
FULLY matured, 60 revive Il. do not
see why the speaker has not as much
right 20 make speeches as anybody
else, u he feels Hike Il. daughter
and applause.)
'M.ssourlans take an abiding In
terest In the whole western. south
western and northwestern country.
(Applause.g The ablest defender that
the west ever had IN either branch Of
congress was Col. Thomas Hart Ben
ton Of Missouri. the greatest Missouri
statesman thst ever lived and Col
Roosevelt says In his Life OF Benton
that when thousand sIissourians
loaded thor wives. children and
household goods into their wagons
and went across the plains they
settled forever this ownership Of what
was called the Oregon country; that
up 10 that time the people out there.
when Il was held in Joint occupancy.
had been temporary sojourners; but
the Mlssourians were there 20 stay
In addition 10 that, the country has
been very largely populated by Mis-
sourians. (Apnlause.) They are
prolific race, and they like TO go forth
TO better their condition. Just why
they leave Missouri / cannot tell to
save my sous, but they do leave Il.
daughter and npplause.) ] suppose
l have received ovor a hundred letters
from Missourians IN the west In favor
OF this bill. ana / am making these
remerss % please ttem more than for
any other reason. exuept FOR tnsI
strongest reason possible, and that il
that the bill Is right and ought to
pass.
a strange Historical fact IL that
during the entire thirty years that
Benton served IN the senate he work.
ed necessarily to make Il easier for
people 10 really homestead land and /
i've upon g.
"And one OF the greatest lnaccur-
acles in history Is that the fatheyhood /
Of the homestead law Is accredited to |
ualusha A. Grow Of Pennsylvania. 1
Benton worked Il out and got every 1
feature 2f II that was valuable. ex-
ceDt that he never was able 10 obtain
for any of his bills tho title OF 'hCme-
stead law The day that he went out /
Of tho senate Galusha A. Grow came Il
Into the house. Mr. Grow introduced i
r homestead bill By sisle On six con-
crosses hand running, and got II
adopted IN the sixth. Benton secured
the substance; Grow secured the title.
and the historians RIB Benton OF his
share OF 3he glory arc give It all to
Grow.
"nenten'a theory, and / ann simply
following Il Qua, was that the posses
sion OF homgs-and / believe It with
81 my heart--or the getting Of homes
for bona fide settlers ought 20 be
made MS easy as possible. (Applause.)
The home Is the unit or American
and the more homes we
have the better for the republic. The