The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-03-25
PuBHlC LANDS AND RAILROADS.

There seems to be n disposition on
the part of the people of the East and
large number of members of Congress
to adopt the policy of 'Eno more land
grants for railroads, and petitions look
ing to that epd. are being extensively
signed in the East. There is no doubt
but shat there is widespread feeling
all over the country against the policy
of giving so extravagantly of the pub
lie domain for the purposes and uses of
corporations; aud there is no doubt but
that this feeling has grown out of the
disgraceful steals and corruptions of the
past few years in the disposition made
of rich land grants. When we stop to
think of the enormity of the corrupt
jobs that have come under our observa-
ton In Kansas, we cannot for a moment
blame the people East or anywhere else
for raising the cry of "no more land
grants for railroads"
But may we not run TO the other ex-
treme in trying to cure the evil? We
have no more doubt of the benefits to
the whole country of a wise, prudent
and honest system of land grants to
railroads than we have of the evils of a
profiigate, loose and dishonest system.
We are firm adherent to the Republi-
can doctrine of Gland for the landless,"
and believe policy should be adopted
that will secure to those who are to set
tie the Great West in the future, home
steads at the least possible expense.
In. 80 ~
also in favor of policy that will devel-
op the interests of the West. The "no
more land grant" policy will not do this.
Stop the building of railroads and you
at once stop the settlement and deYel-
opment of the country. Nowadays
people do not go where there are no
railroads OF where there are not imme-
dIate and cure prospects of their con-
struction. Who, except few adven-
turers, will ever go to Colorado, New
Mexico or Arizona, to settle for life IN
less railroads are to be constructed to
and through these territories? In these
three territories the mineral resources
alone, with the development which rail-
roads would surely bring, will pay a
dozen such national debts as that of our
government. What has Texas been for
twenty years without railroads; and
what is she about to become under the
influences of the railroads that are rap
idly approaching her borders? What
would our own State be to-day with.
out her rapidly developing railroad sys.
tenn? She would not have 10000 pop
ulation, and her lands would be almost
valueless. Immigrants would not now
be fiocking to our borders by the thous-
and. Railroads made Illinois, and they
are making Missouri and Kansas. AT.
ter struggle of thirty years without
railroads, Missouri adopted a liberal
railroad system, and is now reaping the
immense benefits of such a policy. Il
States are to grow out of our present
Territories railroads must be the agen,
cies that are to build them up and de.
velop them. How are they to be built
They can only be constructed by jul
dicious system of land grants. They
never can be built on any other basis, a
least, not for many generations. No
half of the territory of the United States
is occupied. 1t is estimated that there
arc yet LAOS, 366,67S acres of publ,
land. There are 25,000000 of acres il
Kansas alone. We have plenty of lant
yet. There is no need Ofgetting fright
ened on that score. We can well AFFORD
TO donate generously TO railroads. 1t il
TO the interests of the government anC
the people 20 do so. Both will be ben
Gifted by well-guardeda and liberal sys
tenn of railroad land grants. We wan
to stop the abuses of the system. w
are opposed to spectators and monop
olists. Not another acre ought they t,
have. No more 100000 acre gobbles 70
United States Senators. No more mill
ion acre grants for spectators to sell a
figures beyond the reach of poor mer
Let Congress give the land to railroa
companies to be sold only to actual sci
tiers at reasonable figures, or let tn
government sell the land and give tn
proceeds to railroad companies to aid j
the construction of useful enterprise
Let policy be adopted that will secur
the building of railroads without an
view of enriching individuals or col
poratioEs. Reform is needed-badl
needed-but to say we will give n
more land to secure the construction {
- railroads is to say at once that we wi
put an immediate stop to the furth'
development of the western half of IL
continent. Let Congress and the PEI
pie of the East be careful not to go fro
one extreme, which is injurious and III
just, to another equally as bad.