The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1864-02-20
February l1Eh, 1881.

..ass ...s...< FebrtiaFf 1tth. 1884. =
|, The Railroad question, of which I wrote
yop yesterday, is the topic Of general
discussion in the Legislative circles, at
present Various planx are proposed and
talked of for bringing the companies ito
terms" in regard to their coure hitherto
pursued towards settlers, but bill intro.
duced in the Senate, few days ago, by
Senator Ross. strikes at the root of the
matter, and if passed will put quietus
upon the whole subject. The bill re-.
ferred to provides that all rights to the
lands (meaning all lands heretofore CON-
ditienaIly granted to railroad companies}
be absolutely and entirely resumed by
the State of Iowa. Now. have no desire
to see the railroad companies deprived of
the benefits of the land arants--wouH
like to see them receive and use in the
construction of the several roads, but
eo,Rd not like to see rich and powerful
corporations builGiing themselves up on
the property and labor of poor men-7fat-
teniAg upon The sweat Of the ''squat*er''' :.
as, every maa knows these cornpaiIies
have been doing for the past several
years. Many poor man, living upon a
quafter section OF swamp ard, which he
had years before, entered ana paid for,
has been notified by some failroadsagent
to quit the premises or suit would be
him; scores and hundreds
have been prosecuted in the, courts. for
cutting timber upon lands which railroad
companies have claimed as within their
grants, but which we're owaed and had
been paid for in gold, by the parties who
we're charged With trespassing! In view
of all the circumstances, justice would
seem to demand that all rights to these
lands should be forever resumed by the
State, but for the sake Of building up
railroads, bringing us into communication
with the rest of the world, and opening
up our undcveloped resources. I am.
willing to see these companies receive
the full benefit of all these lands which
were justly their own had they complied
with the terms of the grant, but an mol
willing to see them claim and appropri-
ate to their own u<e, the farms and homie
steads of our honest and hard. working
farmers. In summing up the whole ques-
ton, take this position: These lands
were received from Congress. by the State
of Iowa, and granted to certain RAILROAD
Companies, in 1856, upon condition that
thesaid companies should have their roads
completed and in running order to the
Missouri river in ten years from the date
of the grant. ia How near the railroads
have come to filing their part of the con-
tract, rae YOU we'll know--if you. don't: a
trin,aerogs the State in rnuddy time will
enligbten you. Now, ny the terms OF
the grants the lands will soon become
forfeit to the State, in which event the
State should resume, absolutely, ali rights
to saiIdlands conditionally conferred upon
the said companies. Then let the State
re- grant to the several companies upon
proper conditions, all the lands which
we're originally conditionaily given Them
save and except the ssOamp lands, which
In nv opinion were mover intended to be
conferred upon them. but which are the
propety OF the several. counties, and q IN
mans instances, OF individuals& This
viii effeetually remove every appearance
Of an attempt on the part of the State to
oppre.s ,r the railroads, and will at the same
time take away FROM the railroads the
power to oppress our people and the
only wny to make them deal justly, Is to
| take away their power to deal nt'jnstly;; {;
| have. no faith in the iptesFity of.eotrPoK'
! atoms beyond the limits OF eoH'paak'oh'
It1t will nat do to taepentt upon their pre''S-
i,s Is make tfle rhatser fight amer A n theit
time IS 1,at 1s,sateaaed il Is 4< they
might Keep their faith. but e@Parsenee
th,ch,si .ss that tl1asrreIaIkiai@s. are they
w6,ild NOT. let us 1fF4. compel theqFn f s
BE Sc jmast i and then We can be 1e,'sa, "t oq1
/ leisure. -, -. ..... .,, vessr s - >
= tz - sE-vI al