The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1856-03-08
TUESDAY MoRING, MARCH 4, 1856.
Gov. Gorman and the Railroad Bill.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
it. Paul. M. T., March 1st. 1856

\ Gov. German and the Railroad Bill.
Executive DEPARTMENT, }
ST. Paul, AZ. T., March 1st, 1856. {
I have this day approved and signed a
act entitled, aAA act granting an extensio
of time to the Minnesota and North w ester
This bill is satisfactory so far as the re
sulting interest isconcerned. Yet there ar,
not such guards q, ip my judgment, shoult
be thrown around so important an interes
as is involved in this Company's Charter.
have from the beginning of this Railroad
question, earnestly sought the permanent
welfare of Minnesota, and in conjunction
with many faithful and upright men, in pub
lie and private llSs finally succeeded in pro
curing 2 per cent upon the gross proceeds
receipts, and income of said Road.
This per centage, if the Road is ever built
is to be applied to the Governmental expenses
Of our future State, and must yield ample
means in few years to relieve our fellow
citizens from all State taxes for State pur.
poses, and must be admitted by all is an
important event to the tax payers of our
country.
If on the other hand said Company shall
not construct the Road, nor get the land
nothing can be lost to the people. I have
yielded other objections, because three sew
eral Legislatures have passed favorably upon
this Company's Charter and amendments,
and l feel that each favorable amendment
should not be lost, because others are desir-
able. Strong professions of ample capacity
to build the Road have been made. We
shall now see how far they are to be real
lied. | Confess that my confidence in these
professions is still feeble.
The means used to accomplish ends by
this Company has never met my approval,
and l trust never will but if they shall
fairly and legally get possession of the lands
granted by Congress to aid in constructing
said road, l trust we shall have no cause to
regret having urged the demands of the peo-
pie for the interest and guards we have sue
ceeded in throwing around their corporate
powers. Trusting to the calm and consider
ate judgment of my fellow-citizens, and es-
pecially to the members of the Legislature,
l leave the future to develop it's results.
w. A. GORMAN.
The above is the message by which the
Governor informed the House on Saturday
night that he had signed the Railroad Bill.
The provision of the bill to which he alludes
as allowing resulting interest" to the
Territory, is that two per cent. of the
gross eafnings of the road shall be an
nually paid into the State Treasury of Min
nesota in lieu of taxation of the Company 5
property. This has. been an original and
favorite considaratinn with the Goxernos-2-
its absence from the Charter being from the
start his main objection to the existence OF
the Company and its ultimate possession OF
the lands. Although at one time we differed
with him, and thought it wrong that the
Counties through which the road passed
should not have the benefit Of taxing the
property of the same as other property, we
feel now compelled to admit that the Gov
ernor's plan must ultimately be great ad-
vantage to the revenue of the aohole Territory
or State, and is therefore worthy of support
by every right-minded citizen. The expenses
of the State Government for many years
after Minnesota assumes the position of an
Independent member of the Confederacy,
should certainly all be met by this two per
cent. on the gross earnings of the road and
as the expenses of the State increse, the
business of the road must increase, so that
one will be very apt to keep pace with the
other, under a proper and economical man.
agement of our finances.
If, as we now believe, the Governor, by
insisting upon and carrying this favorite
measure of his, has secured to the people o1
the future State of Minnesota entire exemp-
tion from taxation for State purposes, we
should not allow party or factious feelings to
prevent US from giving him full credit, now
and hereafter, for the munifcent benefice.