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country, having mostly an agricnltural population, the masses 

 constantly impi-oving in education and in the acquiring of 

 wealth. I have spoken to you with regard to the public lands 

 of the country being taken up so rapidly and held for specu- 

 lation, because I regard it as most mischievous in its tendency, 

 and it should be stopped by prompt and efficient measures. 

 The best heritage we can leave to coming generations is 

 free lands. So long as there are public lands to be preempted, 

 or bought for a nominal price, oppression of the great mass of 

 the people will not be very convenient ; when the day of free 

 lands has come to an end oppression of the most cruel charac- 

 ter is certain. Do not, I entreat you, permit this rich heri- 

 tage, the security of freedom to be wasted ; do not let it become 

 the means of cruel oppression instead of generous protection. 

 I have spoken of the increasing power of corporations and its 

 blasting influence upon individual enterprise and individual in- 

 dependence, that you may carefully consider the subject, check 

 its progress, and remedy as far as possible the evil already 

 done. I have spoken of the system of introducing servile la- 

 bor, which will intimidate and degrade free labor, the mainten- 

 ance of the di^^ity of which is so essential to the security of 

 the republic, knowing that a free people will not long submit 

 to it, and the danger that disgraceful violence may be the 

 result unless that system receives at once the stamp of public 

 condemnation. 



I have already occupied as much of your time as I feel at 

 liberty to occupy. I have not had time to go into details to 

 any considerable extent, l)ut have thrown out a few sugges- 

 tions for your consideration ; have sown, I trust, some good 

 seed. I know I have sown on good ground, and if it ought to 

 spring up and bear fruit, I am confident it will do so. I will 



