As the survey works westward, fractional or imperfect sections are located on the west side of the township. The United States surveyors locate the " corners of the sections and half-mile marks between the corners. Their work is then completed, and a natural object or an artificial construction, duly registered on the surveyor's fieldbook, marks the survey.

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DIAGRAM OF A SECTION divided into tracts of 40 acres each.-Assuming the diagram of the section to be section 6 in township 5 north, of range 2 west of the sixth principal meridian, lot a would be described as the N. W. of the S. W. of Sec. 6 in township 5 north, of range 2 west of the sixth principal meridian; lot b is the S. E. of the S. W. of Sec. 6 in township 5 north, of range 2 west of the sixth principal meridian; lot c is the N. W. of the N. W. of Sec. 6 in township 5 north, of range 2 west of the sixth principal meridian, and may be abbreviated thus: N. W. 4 of the N. W. 4, Sec. 6, T. 5 N., R. 2 W. of 6th P. M.

By this system a deed of land may be written in a few words, and it is intelligible to any person. Deeds of land in the older thirteen States are usually long and the boundaries are often obscure, the deed calling for " an oak tree or "a certain pile of stones" or "a stump." Land in the

survey, public roads are usually located on each section line, so that the highways of the township divide it into squares of one mile each. School-houses are usually located at each alternate cross-road, thus giving nine school-houses, two miles apart, to each township. The school-house stands at the centre of a school district two miles square.

Public Domain is easily located and described by lines of latitude and longitude.

DIAGRAM OF SECTION FOR PRACTICE IN LOCATING LAND. --Assume the section to be sec. 4, township 7 north, range 3 west of third principal meridian. Describe the location of lot a, b, c, d, e, f and g.

The munificence of our Government in providing land for the people has been an important element in the settlement of the newer States. It opened the way for a vigorous, progressive and law-abiding people in regions which. a few years ago were wild Indian lands.

227. Homesteads. On the 20th of May, 1862, President Lincoln approved and signed "An act to secure homesteads to actual settlers on the Public Domain." By this act the head of a family, man or woman, or any single person, twenty-one years of age, who is a citizen of the United States, or person who has declared an intention of becoming such, has the right to locate upon one hundred and sixty acres of unoccupied public land of the Public Domain. The settler must enter the land in a United States land-office and live continuously upon the land for five years. If he is a full citizen of the United States and has complied with the homestead law, he will

receive from the Federal Government a patent or deed for his land free of cost, excepting land-office fees, which are nominal. No person who is the proprietor of more than one hundred and sixty acres of land in any State or Territory can acquire any right under the homestead law.

228. Pre-emptions.-One hundred and sixty acres of any unsold land belonging to the United States may be pre-empted by any citizen who is the head of a family, man or woman, or by any single person twenty-one years of age. The pre-emptor must settle upon and Occupy the land and build a house upon it. Within thirty days from the pre-emption he must file a declaration of his intention to purchase the land. After living upon the land for one year continuously and improving it, he must present proof at the land-office of his occupancy and improvement, and pay for the land at the Government price, which is $2.50 per acre within the limits of the land granted to railroads, and $1.25 outside of such grants. No person can acquire any right of pre-emption who is the proprietor of three hundred and twenty acres of land in any State or Territory, nor who quits or abandons his residence on his own land to reside on the public land in the same State or Territory.

229. School Lands.-For the promotion of education the Government originally set apart Section 16 in every congressional township, and in 1852 Section 36 was added to aid in the support of public schools. These sections are called school sections. All the States in the Union have received land or land-scrip as a fund for common schools and for the endowment of State educational institutions, usually for agricultural and mechanical colleges. The total area thus granted is about 100,000,000 acres. All this land is estimated to be worth at least $1.25 per acre, but much of it has been sold at a higher price. Never before in the world's history has there been such a munificent national gift for educational purposes.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE PEOPLE AND THE MONEY.

230. National Finance.-The industrial interests of the people of the United States require a national currency, a national revenue and a national system of banking. Congress alone has power to coin money and to regulate its value.

231. What is Money ?-Money is a measure of value expressed in coin. The money of the United States is the gold and silver coin of the United States. The two precious metals are used for money because

1. They easily receive and firmly retain impressions; 2. They do not rust;

3. They wear away but slowly;

4. They are easily detected from other metals;

5. They are easily alloyed and purified;

6. They represent a large amount of labor in a small

compass.

For the coinage of money Congress has established mints at Philadelphia, Pa., San Francisco, Cal., New Orleans, La., and Carson City, Nev.; and assay-offices at New York, Charlotte, N. C., Boisé City, Id., and Denver, Col.

The coins of foreign lands usually bear an impress of the face of the sovereign during whose reign they were coined. Thus coins become of rare interest in the study of history and in obtaining portraits of famous men. The guinea took its name from the Gold Coast of Africa; the napoleon, from the famous soldier of France who first coined it. The coins of the United States bear the impress

of the great seal of the people, a head or figure of Liberty and the national motto, " E Pluribus Unum." Some have thought that our coins should bear the impress of the face of the President during whose administration they are coined. But this would be contrary to the spirit of the Constitution; the people are the Government, and the symbol of the sovereignty of the people is therefore appropriately stamped upon our coins. The unit of value in our coinage is the dollar. The gold coins are the twoand-a-half dollar piece or quarter eagle, the five-dollar piece or half eagle, the ten-dollar piece or eagle and the twenty-dollar piece or double eagle. The silver coins are the dollar, half-dollar, quarter-dollar and dime. There are also coined the bronze one-cent piece and the nickel fivecent piece, known as "minor coins." Our coinage is based upon the decimal system, and was introduced by Thomas Jefferson after his ministry to France.*

232. Substitutes for Money.-The right to coin money carries with it the right to issue paper money. But paper bills are only the evidence of a credit, and are but substitutes for money.

The United States issues several substitutes for gold and silver which pass, under certain restrictions, as money. They are all bills of credit. They consist of Treasury notes, national bank-notes, coin certificates and scrip (sometimes issued).

At different times in our history the ordinary revenues of the Government have not been sufficient to meet its expenses. Rather than obtain funds by increased tax

*The die of the Goddess of Liberty used on our early coins was first cut by Spencer, the inventor of the Spencer lathe. He cut a medallion of Washington's wife, and some of the first issue of coins were struck with her portrait. When Washington saw them he was much displeased, and requested that the figure be changed. Spencer then placed a cap on the head, altered the features a little and called it the "Goddess of Liberty."