The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-02-18

argument. The State Of Indiana, with debt
Of $l2, 900 900, in 1882, had population of only
$3.50, 900. Illinois, in 1888, with q debt OF tIl,-
600, 900, had a population Of 400, 600. Maryland
in 1888, had population Of 400, 900, and . debt
of ll,OO0, 600. When compared with these
States. the proposition Is not so absurd. But
it is not pretended that the present proposition
Of making this loan, was TO be based upon the
present population Of Minnesota, but was to be
considered with reference to the accumulation
| Of population and also Of taxable property. II
was the merest sophistry to say that because
We were weak now, We will never be strong
| Atthe organization Of this Territory il contained
G,677 inhabitants and $4,000 square miles, or
| one inhabtant to l23 square miles. And yet
| according to Gov. German, il was the utmost
folly, in these 900 people undertaking 10 bring
into existence grand and glorious State. In
ls46, st. Paul contained population Of 10 in
hsbltants; yet uoy. German would have said to
them. What are you going to do here! Build
q city. eh' You are act Of fools to try wait
till your heads get gray" II his philosophy
had been applied to st. Peter, the capital Of the
State would never have been removed thither.
The 1000 people in our Territorial organization
had formed State with 200,000 Inhabitants,
and soon II would be million, and the 10 citi.
zens Of 81. Paul had built city OF Is 900 inhsb-
| itants and SIC, 900. 900 Of taxable property.
| But the proposition Of the Railroad loan was
| not based upon the future growth Of Minnesota,
| but also upon the most magnificent land grant
that ever was made to State. First let us ex.
anime the argument for the loan on the basis of
increase Of population. In lsjO, we had O,777
binhabitants-in 1857 we have 200, 900, an aver.
age yearly increase Of 27 ,603, and with the same
increase would give US 100000 in 1868. But
who doubts that the average yearly increase
for the next ten years, will be double what IL
has been for the last ten years. We may safely
intimate that in 1868 we will have million OF
4 .s.I. .I..eA A. AL La. =
| With taxable property OF little over o mil
lion In 1850, we find it to be twenty three mil
lions in 1885, and thirty millions in 1s57, and in
1868, at the same ratio Of increase, II would be
one hundred and seventy three millions, and in
1872, two hundred millions.
| With this examination into the increase of
population and taxable property, he could un.
hesitatngly assert, and without fear Of contra.
diction, that the proposed loan was based not
on population Of 200, 900 and 81. .000. 900 taxa.
bic property, but on a population Of 1. .OO0, 900,
and $3.50, ,000, 900 taxable property.
Mr.. II. then enumerated the lands granted TO
the railroad companies amounting In value TO
$50 900, as the most ample security for the
| payment Of the bonds. He referred 10 the
prosperity Of Illinois rs caused by her railroad
system, and cited the land grant Of the Illinois
Central Railroad Company as evidence Of the
value of the Minnesota grant. The speakers.
| on Friday night, to his view, treated the land
grant as OF no consequence, AS a myth. lie
did expect that gentlemen, whose property
aud whose interests were sll In this State.
| would stand up and defend their own State I;
but these speakers had labored to cry us down,
that we were bankrupt, that We were all going
to ruin. II was our duty to endeavor to devel
op the magnificent resources Of our State. to
increase our wealth, and to induce capital to
come to our aid not TO say that our railroads
would never pay, and that We should wait till
! We were older.
! Mr.. II. then proceeded TO examine the title
OF the railroad companies to the lands, and the
mortgage security they offered 10 secure the
state from loss. He quoted from the land
grant TO show that one hundred and twenty
! sections OF land were vested In the companies =
in advance Of any construction whatever
This title was confirmed by the Legislative act
The companies had located nearly all Of their
| lines. The locations had been llled--the act
fully complied with. Judge Black, the Uni,ca
states Attorney General. had decided that the
terms Of the land grant we're absolute, and that
no patents need issue that the title became
vested absolutely in the companies to the land.
as s0oD a. the terms Of the grant were com
piled with. The companies could mortgage
this amount of land AT once 10 the State, but
this was not all the security proposed. The
companies had c0ntibge Mt interest in 3. 900 900
acres, which they proposes To mortgage, aud
besides this, the net profits OF the road. lie
said nef profits, notwithstanding the assertions
| made that the roads would never pay expenses.
He quoted the Milwaukee aud Mississippi Rail.
road, running into wilderness, ~ our roads
! would, yielding gr0ss income of $4,000 per
mile, and a net income Of SO, 900.
Mr.. u. then proceeded 10 examine Gov. Cor.
mans argument, Of thirteen States having put
into their constitutions provisions against crea.
ting a debt. Of these thirteen, he cited seven,
| in which he q1oted from the constitution, that
they did auo,c debt 70 be created. viz New
York. louisiana. Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri,
and Texas. In thirty one states, six alone had
prohibited State debts. This example, as a
precedent, must fail.
| Mr.. n. took up the argument Of Judge Cooper,
that the bill was ia the form Of . Legislative g
act, and ought not TO be Incorporated into the
constitution. He thought there was great pro-
priety ia thu going into detail, when II was
proposed TO amend the constitution, 30 the peo-
pie could have Q clear understanding Of what
they we're TO vote for OF against and there was
precedent abundant for this course TO be p1r.
sned
After some further remark. on the history of
raii' DAD loans ia other States, 10 show that the
states had not lost their money by the opera
non and referring 10 the probable cost per
mile Of the road a, a., 900, he concluded his re-
marks by quotation from the report Of the
COMMITTEES in favor Of the Land Grant.
The debate was further continued by j
W. TAYLoK, Esq, and Hon. SAN. BgxAs
The crowded state OF our columns prevents
oar giving . synopsis u the remarks thi.
week
The Nebraska House Of Delegate hay.
! .x..ll..l NJ, Rnpspvsnx ri t.. Al A.