New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-01-18

whereby the bare location Of Railroad would insure
The prompt settlement Of each arabic quartersecoh
within miles Of its route, securing an abundance Oh
travel and transportation from the hour OF rs comPe
ton We cannot help see ng that tsese oored-t'r
railroad Grants are this dsy the main Obstacle to
The rsssace Of the Homestead bill whereby many thou
sands If destitute families would be made welcome to
pnfsilipg Homes. Meantime Soldiers OF 1912 Seanen
n all Wars end hundreds more Of straw efigies are
nrsbed forward by the swarm Of Spectators who made
.rcb fortunes out Of the purchase and sale Of the
Me.icsn War Bounty Land Warrants, and who are
now preparing for another harvest to which the kal-
road iolbers are quite likely to help them. We may
nsresd the signs of the tes bat we fear there is no
hope for the Free Land bill at this Session
We are favorable to Railroads generally, but the
greatest and most benefcent of them frst That IS
truly National work only to be sessonably constructed
bv National aid In the States Railroads will some
how get constructed about fast as they can DO sus
tanned; but across the backbone OF the Continent,
through wild and savage regions, scaaty Watered and
almost voodess IT were idle to hope for the prompt
construction Of Railroad b. private enterprise. Even
If il were morally certain to pay at once the capital
REQUIRED is beyond the ability OF any pr fate company
| tiat could proba5lybe raised for such purpose.
We 90 not strenuously object to helping Railroads
with Land though it would seem every way more poll
tic and manly 10 extend aid in the shape OF Money.
Tie subtlety that prouounces grants of Land for such
objects constitutional, but grants Of Money unau-
tLorized is unworthy even Of thought and he who
can 6nd authority for Federal all to Railroad run
ming Though his own orchard but none for one des-
tpes to unite Eastern with We.tern North America,
Il -. anil risk of
Mail and Military communication between the Paclhc
ind the Atlantic is imperyious to the light of Reason
| ard deaf to the call of Consistency.
We rejoice in the rapid and vast increase Of Railroads
whether in the East or in the West for they tend to
dfuse the blessings of Intelligence, Refinement, Com
fort and Thrift wherever they penetrate We are
Wiling to see them aided by grants OF Public Lands;
but we protest against that narrow grasping policy
! which confines such grants TO Eesern Roads alone
Even to the people Of the West the great Canals aud
Railroads Of New.YOlk are as important and bench
cent as those of Illinois or Missouri. These states
should be willing 10 unite fair and equal sys-
tenn ike ttat outlined in sIr Benefits bill now before
the House and let the Old States have taste if they
1 demand a bounteous feast for the New
On one other point we desire light. The Western
IOdCb, IT is urged DtIeAt tue Last " "P'"iHe
avenues for internal trade There is truth in this
though the rule indicated should work both ways; but
we wsnt to know before iavOring an extension OF the
/ LaRd-grant system, whether Pennsylvania owns the
trade of all the States west Of her, that NewlOrk
and New England only enjoy much Of it and on
such terms as she sees fit to concede. Until this point
is cleared up and the rights OF all placed on footing
Of equality, we think no Eastern Member should vote
an acre of Public Land in aid Of Western Railroad
Having thus defined our position We give place to a
Western friends letter, developing and commenting
enc Of The great Railroad schemes DOW demanding the
attention of Congress It will be found on our third