Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-10-14
Ths Land Grsu.-rhs Veto.

ture Jnposing OF the lands granted TO THIS
State by Congress for Rail Road pnsposes, and
intimated that there probability ofits be-
ing vetoed bv Gcy. Bashfusi. Since then the
Governor has exercised that power, and returned
the bill TO the Senate with his objections to its
becoming Law In this we think the Cover
sor ha. acted wisely. As was anticipated, the
speculaiors and land sharks who were TO get
the Management, of the matter. and the citizens
of Milwaukee. who are deeply interested in the
terminus of the principal Roads, are very in
diguant at Gov. Bashford for daring to protect
the interests of the people to such an extent as
to blight the hopes of those who seek to build
up powerful monopoly in Wisconsin whereby
they may be able to control the destinies of the
State hereafter. But the people of the State
the tax payers-win rejoice that they have
Governor whe has the back bone to frown upon
all such attempts to swindle the people-that
Notwithstanding Assemblymen and Senators
have their price, there is one branch Of the State
Government that cannot be bought. This veto
of Governor Bashford, we believe meets the APP
probation of all parties in this section of the
State and while some professed Democrats de-
clare determination of their party leaders to
make little capital for the firm of Barstow,
Buchanan, Crawford, d Co.. out of it, they all
say the Governor acted wisely. and were re-
joiced that his veto was sustained In the Senate
as it was, by vote of 3 to IL.
We regret TO notice that both Asserublymen
| from this county voted for tho bill. What in
duced them thus to vote, we cannot imagine.
for we are most egregiously deceived, or they
L tod both cta
and wishes of their constituents in doing So
Mr. CoBB, the Senator from this District, voted
/ against the passage Of the bill, and also TO sus
tain the veto of the Governor. Whether our
Assemblymen or Senator have acted most wise
! ly, we leave for our readers to Judge, most
decidedly agree with the latter.
! The veto Message is too long for our columns,
j but we give below the Governors reasons, as
condensed by the Milwaukee Sentinel, which
paper favored the passage of the bill, and of
course disproves of the veto:
/ The Governor objects frst-that the bill in
cludes two separate and distinct objects, two
private and local" laws. to wit: one organizing
Company to take charge of the North
Eastern grant the other, amending the charter
of the La Crosse Company. and giving to that
corporation the Northwestern grant This, the
Executive holds to be palpable violation OF
Art. of the Constitution, which, he thinks, was
intended to prevent the passage of two distinct
measures, In one act and by union of interests,
which could not have passed separately.
He objects, secondly, to The bill, that no pro-
vision is therein made, to bring into market the
lands thereby granted to the La Crosse Compa-
ny. and to dispose of them to actual settlers, at
limited prices; and he seeks to show that the
policy OF the Company would be to keep them
out of market, sell them TO spec ,lators.
He objects, thirdly, that while the act of Con-
gross, donating the lands to Wisconsin author
ICES the Governor to appoint agents to select
these lands. the bill transfers that power to the
| La Crosse Company. and is therein violation
of the said act of Congress.
He objects, .fourthly, that the bill provides fol-
increasing the capital stock of the La Crosse
Company to ten millions OF dollars which ia ia
be distributed under the supervision of the d.
rectors, as they may think best calculated to
advapce the construction of the road the Gov
ernor holding that all citizens of the State
should have chance to take stock, and that a
marim'1 should be fixed for any single sub
scription.
He objects, .tlt1hly. that the consolidation of
| the La Crosse and Milwaukee with the Milwau-
kee and Wafertown Companies. strengthened
by the Land Grant, would create dangerous
monopoly, overshadowing the State, corrup.inp
the Legislature and eo-ercing the Executive,
and he thinks that the influences successfully
brought to bear TO secure the passage of the bill
illustrated and prove the soundness of this opin
| ion.
I he objects, silahly. that whereas, ,cithom the
Grant, the La Crosse Company would build
their road from Portage to La Crosse, and the
Land Grant Company theirs from Portage to
St Croix; nth it. the La Crosse Company would
ouiid but one road, with branches perhaps; and
that thus the bill would fail to secure an addi-
tional Rail Road to the State
He objects, serent1ly. that the bill gives these
Lands TO a private Company, the majority of
the directors being located in milwaukee,. aud
r preseU ting but one locality and interest =.
whereas he thinks that all parts of the State and
all It's interests should have voice in the man
agement of the Grant and representation in
the Board of Directors
lie objects, eightHy. that the bill does not des-
ignate either Madison or Columbus "a the start
ing point of the road; that, consequently, there
might be difficulty in obtaining the lands from
government for that section that without some
specific provision, the Company might build the
road from Madison to Portage, BY pay of Column
bus, instead of direct that there is NOTHING IN
compel the company TO build the uhole road and
they might, If they saw fit, refuse to build that
portion from ST. Croix to Lake Superior: and
that the experience Of the State in reference TO
Land Grants, Especial reference being made TO
the Rock Rive company Grant) sho'd teach the
Legislature TO insist upon the most rigid re-
stTiclions'
hese are the Governors objections in brief,
ana We think should be satisfactory TO all. The
NTH objection, II there were no other, we think
su''''ien' TO justify veto. The people of Wis
consin are not prepared to favor mononolv of
tins KIND IN our State, and we trust tho dav i
far distant when the blichtinp c,,rso