The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1858-02-06
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA.
STATE CREDIT TO RAILROAD COMPANIES.

STATE CREDlT TO RA1LkOAD COMPANIES.
We are indebted to the politeness of Hon.
E. Hodges, of the Senate, for copy-by last
evenings mail-of the infamous bill intro
duced into the Senate, by Mr.. Streeter of
Brownsville, proposing amendments to the
Constitution of the State of Minnesota
Our time and space in our columns will not
permit an extended notice OF this audacious
scheme of Treasury plundering, in our pres
ent issue, but we cannot refrain from giving a
brief notice of this infamous attempt 20 in
volve our State in a debt of five millions of
dollars, for the benefit Of an interesting batch
of Railroad Companies.
The impotence and audacity of the Cor
porat.on beggars, who ask this bonus of the
State, is in beautiful harmony with that of
the illustrious Senator from Brownsville, who
introduced the bill to the Senate.
This really interesting bill is prefaced by n
long Whereas preamble, the substance of
which is, the very existence of Minnesota de-
ponds now upon the immediate commence
ment and early completion of the contempla-
ted Railroads, to which the lands granted by
Congress were awarded at the extra session
of the Legislature, in May last, and that on
account Of the loss of public confidence" in
must furnish the means for thsee works.
The bill therefore modestly asks the pco-
pie of Minnesota to SO amend their Consti-
tution that the little debt of five millions ~
may now be contracted, and the proceeds
placed in the hands of a set of irresponsible
Railroad companies to be by them expended
in tie construction of these roads but this
is not the end-"the bitter end" Itprovides
further that additional State debts may be
contracted in the same manner and if this
can be carried through, the system of State
Treasury plundering is fairly inaugurated,
and the people of Minnesota may at once
make up their minds that before quarter of
century has passed over their heads, they
will be as heavily burdened with State debts
as the State of Pennsylvania.
The bill provides that twelve hundred and
fifty Thousand dollars shall be furnished to
each of the Companies selected as the recipi-
ents of the public plumber to be thus taken
from the people, and to secure the payment of
which to the State, with the interest annually
accruing on the said bonds, the said compa-
MES are to appropriate the nett profits of the
said roads, and the first mortgage bonds up
on the respective roads. Not one of these
companies have single mile of road con-
structed not even graded. They haven't
probably the right Of way, on single mile,
some if not all are indebted to the Engineers
and Surveyors who spent the entire summer
in running preliminary and located lines for
these modest beggars, those companies who
had such immense stock subscriptions only
last May, and to whom the muniticent grant
of lands granted the Territory by Congress
were awarded; and who are not now satisfi-
ed with that but modestly ask that they may
be permitted to put their hands into the
Treasury to the tune of five millions, and give
security for it on what? the wind ! or some
thing that exists only in imagination.
There is another provision of the bill we
wish to just notice in this place. 1t is pro-
vision which beautifully illustrates the ex-
IRENE modesty and tender regard of the dis
tinguished Senator from Brownsville-that
very interesting little town under the Wild
cat bluff (swamp,) near the banks of the Mis-
sissippi-for the general welfare Of the peo-
pie. 1t is the proviso that two-ffths of the
amount appropriated to the Southern Min
nesota Railroad Company, or half million
of dollars, shall be expended in constructing
eight miles Of road between the important
town of Brownsville and some equal important
point s'near' Hokah. But wc have no room
for further notice this week, but shall not
lose sight of this vitality important question
to the future we'll being of Minnesota.