, 1864-02-02

OuF fE1uS1H VII Ic1QEupef 1llo1 IN 1c3a I00-
grces made grant Of lands to the State Of
Iowa, 10 aid In the construction Of four lines
Of railway from tho Mississippi to the Mis-
souri, nearly east and west, ACROSS that
State. The lands were granted by the State
to the Burlington and Missouri, the Missls-
sippi and Missouri. tho Cedar Rapids and
Missouri, and the Dubuque and Pacific Rail
roads. By the precise terms of the grant the
roads were to be completed in ton
yeare. or course tho time Will ex-
pire during the present year. Taxing
advantage of the precise letter Of the Law, we
learn tlat movement is about to be made
in the Iowa Legislature to deprive the com
papics Of these lands, for the reason that the
roads cannot be completed before the ten
years shan expire. Our dispatches from
Washington, yesterday, stated that the
Committee on Public Lands were con-
sidering the propriety Of extending the
time when the roads in the several States
included In the Act Of 1854, as several
Of them were still in rebellion against the
Government. It Is almost certain that in
all The loyal States reasonable extension
will be granted.
The reasons for this course are SO obvious
TINT Congress will not fail, rs we believe, to
pass the bill without any serious opposition.
The 1imc at best wns short, but in the mean
time We have had the financial crash Of 1875,
ard It Inns been literally impossible to pro-
cure the money aud the materials to complete
the projected roads. In spite, however, Of
these cmbarrnssmcnts, two Of the Iowa
roads, the Mississippi and Missouri, and the
Cedar Rapids and Missouri, have been push
ing steadily forward I'LL about two-thirds Of
tie Slate has been crossed, and as they will,
If they obtain u small extension Of time, COM
plcte their roads, It would be the :3rossest
oppression to deprive them Of the rights
tl:cy have so justly earned. In business cir
cles and in times of general financial dis
aster like those OF 1878 capitalists
would become infamous who should
push their debtors to the wall
when by email extension of
time they would be able to pay dollar for dol
lar with interest Much more then will Con-
ercss grant further extension Of time to fin
dsh these roads, and as for the State Of Iowa
It would be worse than suicide to ABORT auy
other policy. Does that State want con
nection BY her four great lines with the great
Pacific Railway, a hundred miles Of which, |
commencing at Omaha, Is to be completed
during tie present yeare If 60 her Legislators |
should be careful how they give the least en-
courngcmcut to this scheme There can
scarcely be doubt that the movement comes
from the Missouri interest, which Is doing al
that money Gun do, and using every possible
means to secure location for the Pacific
railway south Of Omaha and the Platte VAL
ley. The Desmoincs improvement Company
would also like to deprive tho railway CON-
panies OF that portion Of the lands for which
they have an old, butw believe perfectly
invalid claim. But under whatever pretence
the movement is made, VIC have too much
confidence in the good sense and lie patrIot-
lem Of the Iowa Legislature to believe for
one moment that they will lend themselves
to scheme from the disasters attending
which their noble State would not in genera
tion, If ever, recover.
If the extension Of time, which Congress
will undoubtedly grant, to complete the roads
across Iowa, Is also given By her Legislature,
the four lines will be finished in five years,
and two Of them, certainly, in half that time.
In five yeats, there is every reason to believe |
the Pacific Railway Will be completed to the |
eastern base Of the Rocky Mountains, and |
the rich mineral fields of Colorado and 1daho |
will be pouring their golden treasures into
the lap Of Iowa, in exchange for her corn,
wheat, beef and pork, and the State will en-
ter upon an era of prosperity astounding to !
her most eanguine citizens. In epitc Of the |
difficulty Of procuring labor, iron, aud other
her railways hare been extending
steadily westward, and it is to be hoped that |
they will receive every possible encourage
meut to complete their Lines, and thus to de-
yelop the resources Of their noble State