The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-06-03
Railroad 70 Lake Superior..Extra
Session.

10 the Editor ef The Pioneer:
The question of calling an extra session o.
the Legislature Is narrowed down in the cor
respondence of the Governor and Attorney
General, to the question do the public inter.
ests require it?"
If they do, the Constitution directs the Gov.
ernor to call it; not for any corporation; NOT
for any city; not for any particular locality.
Furthermore, he is not to wait for any petit.
tons, nor for any request of the people, who
are slow to see and comprehend their interests,
and slower still to communicate with each
other and embody their wishes in general ex.
preston. The Governor is their agent, and is
called on by his oath of Office to act for them,
and in an emergency to act promptly.
He is called on, moreover, to disregard the
jealousies and interested opposition of partieu-
lar localities, which in all the history of rail-
roads in this State have shown themselves
willing to sacrifice the public interests" for
personal and local advantages, and for "town
sites and cross road points" '.
Now if there is any doubt in the mind of the
Governor that the "public interests of this
State would be promoted by an outlet for her
produce on Lake Superior-bringing her as
near the Eastern markets as Wisconsin and Ill
inois, and making her independent of the
monopolies of their transportation lines;
which to-day have an embargo on
our whole commerce and make US pay more
tribute by their exorbitant exactions for freight
in one summer than twice or thrice the cost
of an extra session If he has any doubt that
such q railroad, making every bushel of our
wheat worth ten cents more, and the aggre-
gate crop from $500, 900 to 5000, 900 more an
nually, railroad stimulating and inducing the
completion of every other railroad in the
State, and thus attracting capital and popula-
ton, opening up and developing the mineral
and agricultural resources of the State as they
can never be otherwise, and adding millions of
dollars to her taxable property; if he has any
doubt that such railroad would subserve the
"public interests of this State" he has only
to review our labors and the labors and efforts
of our Legislatures and Congressman for ten
years past, devoted with entire unanimity to
procuring land grants and donations of our
lands for the building of this road to convince
him that the State has neUer had any such doubts.
And these labors and the uniform expression of
the people by their memorials and legislative
acts instruct the Governor noar not to let this en-.
terprise fail for the paltry consideration of
10000, which amounts to a tax of just five
cents per head. For we know we can let the
building of the entire line now and secure the
road.
What we can do in twelve months is more
than the wisdom Of man can foresee. 1t is
enough for us to know that we hazard the en-
terprise, and may delay it for ten years or in
definitely by waiting twelve months whereas
by striking while the iron is hot" we can so-
cure the road beyond doubt.
Is the Governor, then, to hazard the loss of
this great stem and trunk of our whole railroad
system, by delaying twelve months?
Can he do so as the agent of the people, un-
der thirteen years instructions staring him in
the face?
We trust he feels his responsibility and ap-
ppec a ms rights ana ms dutles as an mae
means success to the "public interest,"" and
when delay may mean entire failure. but when
it certainly means twelve months loss of the
advantages of this road, which alone would be
tenfOld the loss to the State that the cost of an
extra session would be- CIVIS