Some alarm has been manifested in certain quarters, and Congress been
inquired of, concerning the fact that divers European noblemen have been
purchasing large bodies of lands in our public domain. There are no
laws, I believe, to prevent foreign noblemen from acquiring lands in
large or small quantities in our Territories; but it is clearly contrary
to public policy to permit these, or our own capitalists or syndicates
to do this thing. The public lands should be held for actual settlers,
and for them alone; and it is to be hoped that Congress will so amend
the laws as to prevent English or European lords, or American lords,
from acquiring large bodies of land. The Government has been
generous--too generous--to the railroads in the gift of lands; and that
policy ought now to cease, and the roads required to fulfil their side
of the contract to the letter.
MONOPOLY--AGRARIANISM.
In connection with the above, it will do to say, that as monopolies
increase and gain strength, agrarianism also is extending. Legislation
should be so shaped as to check the one, and give no cause for the
other. Good government and strict regard for the rights and interests of
the masses, are the surest means of checking agrarian and nihilistic
tendencies.
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