CHAPTER X 



ATTEMPTED legislation for the alleged benefit of 

 agriculture, or to assist the farmer, has been very lit- 

 tle the good results less the " Betterment of 

 Agriculture " almost invariably being made secondary 

 and subservient to commercial or political interests. 

 In most instances, these bills were not primarily for 

 the " Betterment of Agriculture," but only because of 

 the influence the name " farmer " might have in secur- 

 ing the enactment of laws, was agriculture connected 

 with them at all. 



By the much lauded " Homestead Act," Congress 

 changed a national liability to a national asset. Most 

 of the lands available under the Act were beyond the 

 Missouri River, where vast sums were annually re- 

 quired to protect traffic and mail routes from the In- 

 dians. The homesteaders replaced the soldiers, and 

 under revenue and tariff laws at once began to pay 

 taxes. Incidentally the Homestead Law removed all 

 competition from the Railroad Land Grant lands. 

 The two bills were before Congress at the same time. 

 If one doubts this inference, or thinks it far-fetched, 

 he should read the Act of Congress amending the 

 Homestead Act passed in 1879, just as the influx of 

 homesteaders into this section began. This Act de- 

 prived the homesteader of his right to claim one hun- 

 dred and sixty acres of land as provided by the orig- 



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