New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-03-10
THE WISCONSIN LAND GRANT,

There is bill now before the House OF Reprsssat>
tives proposing TO make an extensive grant nsrk
lie lands to the State Of Wisconsin, TO aid In the cor
structon OF certain railroad. Now, we hold the pm
cple Of these grants to be exceedingly doubtful 10 40
case Let the Homestead bill DO passed and sctui
settlers take possession OF the lands and the need
such aid will exist no longer because the people Of TIC
State will be able to build their own roads But THE
bill 10 liable TO other objections Of still more imms
date and conclusive nature Il docs not merely give
the land to the State to help such railroad ou,ss
prisee as the people may judge most worthy Of ssst
snce but it prescrbes the points whore the road shall
run, locates it, and In fact puts the whole into III
hands of company Of spectators Of very doubtful AM
tecedents, and thus enables them to break down rad
roads already set on foot and in great con-
peted by the people themselves
In lay ing down the places through which this road
must run, the bill entirely excludes the Lake sAsn
and towns from the benefit Of the grant This
alone is something which hardly DO jusiAs4
on the part Of Congress. The Lake shore town
of Kenosha, Rscne, Milwaukee, shebo5va, ~
Mspitowoc, are all engaged to a greater Or l9
extent in the construction Of railroads from NlsS
kee. Several roads have made considerable sdvsass
into the country, particularly tho Milwaukee and "
sissppi Road which the pioneer road Of the Sts
and is now running TO within few miles Of Msdisss
the Capital distance of one hundred miles This fesl
has been built entirely by private enterprise, and
owned and controlled by the people of tho State. ~
deep has been the interest Of the inhabitants along IL
route, and much confidence has been reposed In IN
soundnes ofits management that largo numbers Of ~
farmers have morgaged their farms TO raise tho moaT
to carry il forward. The contemplated graft, On ~
part Of Government, provides for the building o. .
road side by SIDE with this one for considerable ~
lance. Can this be right Shall Congress step
With its strong TO cripple and break down PfVss
enterprise The same il true ofthe Milwaukee ssa L.
Road, another undertaking to advance which, ~
citizens have subscribed and paid in large b
why keep away from the Lake ports in continuing u
great southern route from Chicago TO Lake Supsdw'
Certainly that route is far more direct along the shss
Of Lake Michigan, from Chicago, at any rate y hs
north as Milwaukee and perhaps to Sheboygsb bsisfs
it bears westward toward Lake Superior. 10 co.,
eImental point Of view this route would DO fer betsf
since beside ts greater drectness 1t would psrnis'
the road to be reached by shipping at half dossa %
more ports instead Of a single one. But aside fssn
this consideration, we have strong sympathy TOT ns
Lake shore towns Of Wisconsin. They have bess ~
great gatewsys through which the FIVE hundred No.
sand Inhabitants Of that State have passed. Tbei
were the first TO build common Highways, then -
roads, and lastly with noble enterprise to take
hand the more formidable work of building rsirssls
1t 10 to these efforts the part Of the Lake civss
that much Of the importance and power Of the StssS
to be attributed, and we confess that we shouh
very sorry TO see such disposition Of these lssdss
would be calculated to break down their basdesrS1s
property. Iflsnd must be given let ii be dfss@
to The State, and let the distribution be made By ~
Legislature, which certainly should be the best jsdt
both as to where and how such aid ought 10 bop
piled 1