The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1869-02-25


Tht 81. CLOUD Spnrual
v. b MITCHELL. EDITOR.
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Thursday, Feb. Is, 1869.
THE INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT
LANDS.
In the report Of the meeting Of the
Board Of Trade on last Saturday oven
ing will be found resolution providing
for the appointment Of a committee to
prepare . memorial to the Legislature
asking that tho Internal Improvement
Lands be appropriated to the building
Of such railroads Is are necessary to
the development OF the State, and
which have small grants or none at all.
1t embodied very fully tho sense Of the
Board, its passage meeting with but
one or two negative votes. 1t also cx-
presses tho sentiments of the people Of
Northern Minnesota, almost to man.
They feel that they have been grossly
wrouged by the system which has taken
from them thousands of acres Of land
and transferred them to corporations
and enterprises IN which as citiz,ns
they have not tho most remote inter-
est. They feel that the time has come
for them to do something to protect
themselves against continuance of
this wrong.
This grant Of Five Hundred Thou
sand Aor - was given to Minnesota for
just such use as is desi grated ia the
resolution-internal improvement. If
any portion Of it shall secure the con-
struction Of line Of railroad which
shall connect the Upper Mississippi
with Lake Superior, it has done good
work. 1t has placed that division Of
the State far ahead in the march of de-
velopment. If another portion shall
unite the Upper Mississippi with the
fertile valleys Of the Sank and Red
Rivers, giving BY connections an out
lot ,io Lake Superior to the great mar
kets Of the East, il will have accom-
plphed . magnificent result. If the
whole amount sL1ll be the means of
putting ia operation four or Eve lines
Of railroad Of equal importance, then
will its full value bs realized aud the
wisdom Of the body which made the
appropriation strikiogly exemplifed.
Tho only important if not sole oh.
lection which will b. urged against
this 10 that these lands should be set
aside for the payment Of the old rail-
road bonds. It is claimed that repu-
diation-full, entire and total repudia-
tion-is tho only alternative. This is
not true. The lands could be- used for
their Legitimate purpose-that for
which they were granted-and no re-
pudiation Of tho old bood debt follow.
We will first repeat what is we'll known,
that on this question there are two par
ties in this State-one which is in IA
vor of paying the bonds, interest and
all; the other willing to pay what
shall be determined to be Justly due on
. claim that has but few honest fea.
lures about it. The first demand that
these lands .hall be set aside and ap-
Piled toward the payment Of this acca-
mulated debt. They do not hesitate
to admit that this action would give
tho bonds value they do not have to-
day; that to provide by law for the
locking up Of these lands for the future
benefit Of those holding the claims,
would BY just 30 much appreciate the
market price Of the bonas-in other
words, lifting far up towards par that
which is nov almost worthless. They
admit this because it Is just what they
want to bring about, and if the lands
will not satisfy the bondholders, they
are in favor Of paying the balance in
money.
This is the position of the Press, the
Pioneer, and Of almost every if not ev-
cry paper or person that urges the set
ting aside Of these laads for the re
demption Of the bonds.
The other class object to tho e.
pressed reservation Of this grant fer
any such purpose, because of the solid
value which would at once be given
t. tho bonds and the inevitable result
that would follow, their payment in
full with the interest, amounting in
all to over Four Millions Of Dollars
They believe it would be better to de.
termine what is the just Indebtedness
Of the State, and pay exactly that much
If the glorious young Commonwealth,
palpitatiug As body polite with the
same thrills Of e1uberant integrity that
are nov moving the bosoms of tho adj.
vocstes Of tho payment Of these bonds
70 such ao uuwonted degree, should
decide that this debt was = fair aud
honest ono, then Ill we'll and good
Let it Be paid in full, but let the PEG
pie do tho thing fairly and squarely
Let them pay tho Four Millions and
more in good, clean cash and no.