The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-05-28


railroad bill, The highways Of nations are
the measure Of their civilization" Now,
ro one doubts the utility Of railroads in
general But when We are asked to sub
sIiize a particular enterprise, the question
consideration is, the plain business ques-
tPn which enters into all exchanges
Question Of relative value, viz: will the
benefits derived BY the nation from the rail
roads, for the building Of which its assist
ahcc is solicited, be worth the subsidies we
are asked to grant In answer to this
question I confidently assert
lst. That the advantages to be derived
by the nation are usually greatly over
estimated. the mass Of the benefits generally
securing to a small number of individuals,
and that neither directly nor Indirectly
aces the nation as a whole derive anything
tike the amount of advantage represented
BY the advocates Of subsidies
I'd. That the lands granted are rated far
below the real value.
Sd. That the ability Of the Government
10 make such enormous grants, rs have
lately been the fashion, is grossly exag-
serated, the amount Of our territory which
Is available for occupancy and cultivation
being scarcely hall as large as is popularity
supposed.
i Without taking up these propositions
sersGtim, hope to succeed in making il
quite apparent that they are all true. Be
Sinning with the last, let me illustrate the
manner in which the public mind is led
Astray upon this point by reading a brief
Extract from an editorial published in q
leading New York paper some weeks ago
After dilating at some length and In
highly grandiloquent strain upon the great
results brought about by land subsidies 10
railroads, the writer proceeds:
Aud yet this moro than royal bounty
pf the Government has not destroyed the
public domain thus given but, like the
Spared books of the Sybil, the remaining
public domain, BY this liberal policy Of CIV
Sng away, has become more valuable thaa
the whole was before.
II Gas before shown, we had, on the Both
June, 1868, about l 400, 900, 900 acres un-
sold. How Insignificant, in view Of this
imperial domain, are the l00, O0O, 900 acres
granted in aid of other grelt lines Of rail-
iways and canals needed for the full de-
!velopment Of our immense natural resources,
and for the establishment If lines Of iron
steamships that shall make our commerce
swbiten every sea, and the power and en-
!terprise of the United States be scknowledg-
led in every part Of the world"
| All this sounds very fine and plausible,
but let as now inquire as 70 the facts ;
and, frs, as to the actual extent Of the public
lands and the proportion thereof available for
use The States and Territories carved
out Of the public domain ara as follows:
! L. All those between the Mississippi
river and the Pacihc, except Texas. which
+. is proprietress of her own public lands.
9. The five States included between the
/: forks of the Ohio and Mississippi and the
lakes, viz: Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio,
4 Indiana, and Illinois
|! 3. Florida, Alabama and Mississippi
|. 4. Alaska.
The aggregate area Of these States and
Territories is nearly 1885, OOO, 900 acres
almost all of which was a wilderness mp tC
the beginning Of the present century. OuI
of this the amount disposed of mp to the
i 30th Of June last is stated by the Commits
sioner Of the General Land Office ut little
less than 439,0O0,00O acres This. bow.
ever, includes only those portions Of land
grants to railroads for which patents have
been issued, amounting to something over
twenty-five million acres whereas We have
seen that the Commissioner states tie
amount granted up to the same date at more
than one hundred and eighty-twO million
acres. This gives us very nearly one hun.
bred and sixty million acres more TO add to
the amount disposed Of. making total o.
about 500, 100000 acres, and leaving ir
the possession of the Government q little
over l 1856, 0OO,OOO
This is PROFESSIONALLY a magnificent
estate but is it rs fine or as large as il
seems? In considering this question we
mast-hsve regard TO quality as well as tc
quantity.
1t must he remembered first that the par
of our territory already taken up embraces
the finest portion Of The continent, whether
considered with reference to the genera
fertility of its soil, its rare climatic advan
tages, its unequaled inland navigation BY
lake aud river, its admirable distribution o.
timber and prairie on the surface and o.
minerals beneath, or the great variety Of it.
adapt atoms for the developments of a di
versi6ed and prosperous industry.
Now what Of the ,236, OO0, 900 OF acre.
which remain
This territory certainly embraces vas
tracts Of country rich in all natural re
sources, and capable Of supporting an i'm
mense population. But what elsc does il
embrace?
First. It embraces Alaska, with an area
exceeding 369, 600, 900 acres
do not wish to diSpange this territory
but we know that it is rather further nortt
than COMFORTS with our ideas Of comfort
able and desirable climate Few of us
fancy would care to locate a homestead
there, nor do l hear Of any railroad com
panies soliciting land grants within it
limits.
Second. This l, 236, 900, 900 acres com
prises all the waste land of the Rocky
Mountain chain, extending upwards of 4
thousand miles in length and several hun
bred miles in breadth, the Sierra Nevada,
in California, the Cascade, Coast, and Blue
Mountains Of Oregon and Washington, and
the various arid and desert tracts Of the in.
ira and sub-montane regions, together with
considerable quantity of land in the Older
States which has been passed over by the
settler as comparatively wrthless.
Third. 1t comprises the entire water sur
face embraced within the limits of all the
public land States aud Territories, includ.
ing lakes, rivers, bayous, &c.
Beginning with the Rocky Mountain
region, we find that, together with the