The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-12-30
The Public Domain.

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purse and glib tongue, urge the claims of
the different land rings, have made little
progress this session. They have, however,
so much to gain, and so little to lose, that
they may be expected to return to the charge
with renewed vigor when Congress reassem-
bles. Fortunately, doubt has arisen in
the public mind whether the policy Of giving
away lands indiscriminately to huge railroad
corporations is as wise as it was thought to
be ten years ago. In the West this doubt
promises to develop into positive opposi-
ton, and many leading members Of Con-
gress, as we'll as President Grant, have
freely expressed their hostility to the pres
eut system.
More than four-flfths of the total area of
the United States remain in possession Of
the country at large. Already 1S6, 600, 900
acres, territory as large as that of Great
Britain and France combined, have been
positively given away by the people, chiefly
to railroad companies. About l,S20, 900, 900
acres are still at the disposal of the people;
but Congress has already under considera-
tion applications for grant OF 100000, 600
acres, exceeding the combined area of Spain,
Italy and Switzerland. The area OF land al.
ready granted, according to calculation
made by The Nation, is four times as large as
the whole Of New England, twice as large as
all the Central Atlantic States combined, in
Guiding OHIO, and half as large again as the
five Southern Atlantic States, or as the five
great Western States Of Illinois, Indiana,
Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan united. And
The grants uuder consideration by Congress
would double and treble these amounts.
1t has grown into dogma that the pros
perity of the country requires q continued
progress in settling up larger and still
larger portions OF tile public domain. Pop
ular sentiment approved of whatever seemed
10 promise speedy cultivation OF The open
lands. The sale of land at nominal figures,
the free gift OF land to actual settlers under
The Homestead Law OF 1862, liberal grants
for military services and for agricultural col
leges, the earliest grants to railroads and
canals, were all in accord with popular feel
Ing. But the inquiry has now become COM
mon Do these enormous grants, which cor
rupt legislators and interfere with other
public business, really result in the advan-
tages which have been anticipated from
them Do they really cause our waste terri
tories to be more rapidly settled?
That the land-grant railroads, by sales
OF their own, materially hasten the settle
ment OF the country, is now demonstrated to
he delusion. Last year the United States
issued patents or title deeds for I, GEO. 900
acres. Nearly four-tifths of this amount
were for cash sales and homestead entries,
and the entire amount delivered to all SUBJ
sidized corporations was less than $50, 600
lcres, OF less than one-tcnth OF the wholenum
Der of acres disposed OF. At this rate it would
require two hundred and fifty years for the
existing companies to dispose of the lands
given them by the United States, supposing
that they should he able to continue their
sales for town sites, dep0ts, DC, al the pres
entSpeed. Out OF 35, 600, 900 acres granted TO
the Central Pacific, Union Pacific and Kan
sas Pacific Companies, only l65,00o acres
had been sold up 10 the end of 1869, at
| which rate it would require three hundred
years for the disposal OF the whole. There
| is more striking Illustration. In 1850 the
United States granted to the Illinois Central
Railroad subsidy Of 100000 acres OF
| choice prairie Lands along q line OF road
| traversing the entire length OF q thriving
and progressive State These lands have been
elaboratey advertised in every city in Flu
| rope. Liberal terms OF sale were offered to
| the immigrant Yet in twenty years time
the Illinois Central Railroad has sold only
two uliiion acres. II has disposed of barely
100, COO acres year in the very heart cf one
of the most prosperous States in The Union
Az the rate OF progress which the Illinois
Central has made, it would take about one
thousand eight hundred ana seventy years
to sci! the last Of the grants which the gov
ernnieut has already made.
Why, then, if the sale of their lands prom
iscs to extend through centuries do the CO.
Iossal corporations clamur without ce.lse for
more? TIE Nation solves the problem by
stating that these railroads are huiit exclu-
sively for the profits made in building them.
These profits really consist of the difference
between what the road costs TO build aid
the amount the public can he persuaded to
think Il is worth, and can be induced to in
vest in its securities. The more land, the
more public confidence; the more public
confidence, the more private profit. For
the general public the question now is how
long they will allow the patrimony OF the
people Of the United States to he used as a
halt, 5y means OF which the money of the
country il withdrawn from beneficial indus
try, and invested in Improbable enterprises
from which corrupt individuals derive cx-
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