Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1870-10-12
LAND GRANTS,

$500
We arc sorry that the oracle " does not
maintain the position in its party its name
implies, and which, by reason of its enter
prise and ability, it deserves. We are sur
prised that it should re-echo one of the
worn out strains which the "organ" has
ground out so long and to such little effect.
In its issue yesterday, the Wing assails
Mr.. Maynard for his votes on the land
grants. When we remember that the pol
icy of donating portions of our vast area
tor the encouragement of great schemes of
internal Improvement was inaugurated
and acted upon for years by that great
leader and apostle of Democracy, stephen
A. Douglas; when we remember that the
policy was endorsed by both the Demo-
cratic and Republican Conventions of 1850;
when we remember that the greatest enter
prise of modern times-the spanning of
the continent with the Pacific Railroad
was built because of the aid given by the
Government in these donations of the pub
lie land when we remember that the en-
tire area of land granted is but an incon-
siderable fraction of the millions of acres
still inaccessible to the tide of immigra
ton sweeping westward; and when we
understand that by this policy alone can
our vast territory ever be developed, we
can the better appreciate the folly and OK
travagance of the denunciation INDUCED
in by the Democratic press. We do not
know chat the Wing, 10y its adoption of
this one of the " organ'sn tunes, means to
endorse the falsehoods put forth by the
latter in reference to the extent of these
grants, but its terms denouncing this poll
cy are o sweeping and general that it may
be SO inferred. We have exposed the mis-
representations of the Press and Herald
upon This point by such good Democratic
authority as Senator Thurman, of Ohio,
but we do not expect it to retract or even
cease its false charges. But we do have
reason to believe that our contemporary,
the Wing, intends to deal fairly with us in
such matters, and we therefore invite its
attention to the facts stated by Us in for
mer article on this subject.
The policy of granting our public lands
to encourage great works of national inn
portance and benefit, we believe to be a
wise one, and we are glad that, in mode
rate degree, Republican Congress has
adopted it, Every man who has travelled
the Great West, and seen the rapid growth
and development of that section, realizes
the very important part of the work done
by the railroads, and will bear testimony
that no more powerful encouragement to
immigration can be found than the rapid,
cheap transportation thus afforded. These
roads are operated by men of liberal views
and of enlarged business capacity. They
see very we'll that it is to their interests to
dispose of the lands granted to them upon
liberal terms, and this has been their poll
cy. 1t is capable of demonstration that
the public lands adjoining these grants to
railroads have increased in value, aud in
creased the demand enough to more than
compensate the Government for all it has
given away. 1t has built up the West as
by magic has increased the revenues of
the Government; has augmented our
wealth, and in every way given increased
activity to the general business of the coun-
! Try. Facts and figures show that this poll
cy, so sweepingly and unjustly assailed
| has been one of wisdom and public benefit,
| as time will abundantly demonstrate. We
| have a right to demand, therefore, that in
discussing such important public ques-
tons, our contemporaries adhere to the
facts, and deal with us as party fairly.
If the policy is wrong or unwisc, facts can
be shown to prove it so if these facts
prove the contrary it should no longer be
assailed