Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 July 1886 — A Democratic Outrage. [ARTICLE]

A Democratic Outrage.

The Democratic party cannot escape the responsibility for the defeat of the Des Moines River land bill. This just measure was disapproved by the Democratic President, passed over his objections by the Republican Senate, and the veto sustained by the Democratic House, the Republicans in both brandies being practically solid in support of the bill. The Republican party can well afford to accept and defend its share of the record thus made. The action of the President is naturally, provoking great indignation in lowa, where all the facts pertaining to the Des Moines River land matter are well understood. Thirty years ago, when most of the settlers made their entries, it was generally conceded that the land above the forks of the river was open to pre-emption. The settlers bought the land, piridfor it, and the Government now holds over $70,000 so obtained from the farmers. In many cases patents were issued to the men Cleveland now proposes to evict. A few years after the first entries were made the Supreme Court of the United States took the same view as the Government officers and the settlers, and declared that the land above the forks did not belong to the navigation company, but a singular resolution was subsequently passed through Congress extending tho grant. As Senators Allison and Wilson construe this resolution it would have no application as against the pre-emption settlers, but if it

will bear the construction put on itby Cleveland and Evarts it is an outrageous piece of legislation, and Congress should feel bound to rectify the injustice perpetrated under its terms..- \ ' The settlers who claim their farms because they bought them from the ttovefnmentat a time, when, according to the decision of the Supreme Court, they were part of the public domain, and open "to entry, are opposed by the New York landsharks, who assert title on the basis of a tricky retroactive act which was either’ smuggled through Congress with corrupt intent, or has been falsely construed sidee. In either event Congress was bound to correct the monstrous in justice done the settlers. The navigation company expended only $330,000 in improving; the river, and received over $500,000, so that it might well have been content without seeking to extend its grant, evict settlers, and grab the land the Government has sold to the farmers. Yet the Democratic President and the Democratic House will not allow the Government to bring suit in its name to protect the rights of the settlers who purchased from it in good faith. . ' ' Cleveland’s message vetoing the Des Moines River land bill displays either a fat-witted incapacity to understand the facts of the matter or a fixed determination to give New York land sharks the preference over Western settlers. In the debate in the Senate the lowa Senators fairly picked the bones of the veto message and left the attorneys for the land-shark company without a peg on which to hang their arguments, but still there were enough Democratic votes in the House to Sustain the Wall-street administration and defeat the. bill for tho relief of the lowa settlers.— Chicago Tribune.