Rensselaer Union, Volume 2, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 July 1870 — The Calumet Bill. [ARTICLE]

The Calumet Bill.

Our representative in congress succeeded before that body adjourned in putting through both houses a special bill by which the Calumet Draining Company of Lake and Porter counties “gobble up” 4,000 acres of government lands. he reconciles this act with the 7th article of the Indiana republican platform which was repeated in the Cth resolution adopted at the 'Wanatah convention, we can’t see. If it is wr«ng for congress to grant donations of public land to railroads it is just as wrong to grant them to draining companies. Our • representative knows that his party constituents are opposed to this policy and said in his speech accepting the renomination “if they further complain that congress makes land grants to railroads, we shall show them that the system was originally invented by a democrat,” thus condemning the policy. The Calumet draining company is a twin sister to the Kankakee draining company and was organized under the same obnoxious act 6f the Indiana legislature, and although the Calumet bill of congress does not in so many words give the land to that company it subjects it to the provisions of sections 6, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 16 of our draining act. It does not say “gentlemen we make you a present of 4,000 acres of land” but it does place this property in a position to be stolen and provides that the thieves may go unpunished. We quote one of the arguments used by a correspondent of the Crown Point Register in justification of this particular wrong; “No person has assumed, ownership of these lands, or acknowledged it by the payment of either township, county or State tar. The question of title was, I understand, yaised in committee, and congress decided it belonged to the United States. Should this land be drained and made valuable by the settlers and owners on the Calumet, and pay nothing? The hill passed by congress and advocated by Packard says no! It shall pay its just proportion of the cost ot drainage, and it shall be sold and thus have an owner, and subject to taxation. Packard in this has done tis duty,”

The same argument would' bold good against every foot ol public land in the United States and not only against the land but also the public buildings, money, shipping, and all other property, for not a single dollar’s worth can now be taxed. Let it be understood that we are not opposed to selling government land to individuals and in this manner making them liable to taxation but we are opposed to subjecting it to the provisions of an aet by which a corporation may assess the general government to pay private speculation.

The next session of the Grand jLedge oi the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of the United States toil! be held in Baltimore, Maryland, on Monday, September 10th, 1870. The representatives from Indiana are: Wm. M. French, of Indianapolis; G. W. Jordan, of Attica; John T. Sanders, of Jeffersonville, and Thus. Underwood, of Lafayette. Grand Sire Farnsworth u at present detained in France on account of.the political troubles which renders it difficult for a foreigner to obtain a passport. It is mentioned as a singular coincident eonneoted with the preparations for war in Europe, that the nations which sympathize with France are those whose state religion is the Roman Catholic faith, while the allies of Prussia are Protestant countries. Many talk of the war as likely to result in the destruction of the temporal power of the Pope, soon to be followed by the obliteration of his spiritual influence. Considerable activity begins to be manifested in the cattle market and speculators are scouring the county for stock thinking the war in Europe may increase the demand for beef and yield them large margins. We see no reason why our farmers need be in a burry to sell for a few weeks, at least, as there is plenty of feed now, and splendid growing crops. There is talk of a re-union of the 9th Indiana Veteran Volunteers, to take place the 19th day of September noxt, the 9th aniversary of Jtheir organixation as a three years’ regiment, to be holdcn at Laporte, where these old soldiers first pitched their tent. Wc hope that success will now crown the efforts being made. —Mishawaka Enterprise. : - ts-- .. - While at Wanatah last month we had the pleasure of meeting with several of our old comrades and found thorn unanimously in favor of are-union. We heartily seoond the proposition. Editors Union: Will you please insert the following questions for some of your readers to answer? Why is it that when a man is elected to county office twice or three times he is an aspirant for any office, especially for treasurer? Would it not be a good thing for the people of Jasper county to create an independant treasurer’s office on a small scale for the benefit of retiring county treasurers? Enquirer. - We give the foregoing questions publication simply because the author appeared anxious to sec how they would look in print. We think any voter has a right to be a candidate for office and his friends may vote for him if they see proper.— The propriety of seeking re-election to office is dependant upon the aspirant’s popularity. Artemus Ward would have called the last question “sarkasm”—it amounts to nothing.