Chairman. some facts that should arrest the careful attention of this country: first. the rapid disposition being made of the public lands which are addptedtoagriculturalpurposes. and. secondly. the great forces which are now at work throughout the country seeking to accelerate the disposition of these lands. First. there is a large body of men. yearly growing larger as wealth increases. who are seeking to speculate in the public domain. and in their interest the means of reaching the public lands are everlastingly sought to be enlarged. In vain you have in the sections of the West and Northwest which mostly attract emigration limited the disposal of the public lands to the homestead. preemption. and forestculture laws. for these laws. wise in their purpose. are being forced to gratify the cupidity of the land monopolist. Even the commutation feature of the homestead law is being used to build up great landed estatesinthe West. As the public lands are diminished the motive to monopolize them is increased.
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emigration