The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1870-03-31
A CHANGE OF POLICY.

lanQs Will Dc IuuQe lo TduIOdu cokPVi0Gohs
In the special dispatches to the Sacrament
Union of March 22d it is stated that Holman
introduced resolution declaring that the pol
icy of land grants to corporations should b.
discontinued, and that every consideration 0
public policy and Justice to the whole people
requires that the public lands should be helt
exclusively for homestead and presumption pur
poses The resolution was adopted, and if tht
House adheres to the policy thus so plainly an
nounced it will break into the calculations and
upset the schemes of the railroad lobby which
seems to have controlled legislation for some
years past 1t may work hardships in few
instances and will doubtless delay the con
struction of some roads which appear to be
public necessity-for instance, the branch road
through Idaho to the Columbia riyer,-but il
road, such as the Idaho branch road, is likely
to prove paying investment, or the chances
appear favorable that it would be likely TO
prove such, capitalists will take hold and build
it sooner or later without any aid from the
Government. This determination of Congress
will meet with hearty response from the peo-
pie, and while it is rather late in the day to
shut down the brakes on land swindles aud
railroad Jobs, ii is better late than never. Mil
lions of acres of the public domain, besides
millions of dollars Of the public money, have
been given away and squandered in such
reckless manner by the dominant party in
building up railroad and other corporations as
to awaken at last the masses OF the Republi-
can party who have heretofore, through ex-
cessive loyalty, bllndy endorsed every act OF
their party leaders. The numerous swindlng
railroad jobs were becoming a stencil in the
nostris of the people, and change of policy,
il only for party purposes, was demanded al
the hands of the Radical party leaders. aud
they have finally been compelled through the
force of public opinion Ia abandon their ex-
travagant theories and change their base" TO
"a Democratic standpoint.
The Sacramento Jai7a. in a recent length,
article upon this subject. refers 10 the Illinois
Central Railway. and gives the figures showing
i: ~ b. one Of the uiost powerful corporations
in the country. Tba; road. which j. about zoo
miles in length. was granted 2.J0J,OuJ acres Of
the public lands with no conditions or resGgic-
tions in the grant as tn when the lands were 10
bc thrown upon the market. or at what price
per acr. they were 10 BE- sold. The road coat
So .o00.0 900, with NIL lis equipments including |
the rolling stock. The Company has already
sold ihree-fourths oil il. laud l"r So. ~. so
and rating tho remaining fourth at the same
valuation the amount which il will realize from |
The land grant alone will be- So. 4gs Ga. being
nearly Sj.OO0.O0O over and above the whole
rost OF the construction of the road. In re-
gard Ia the grant Of 50.0O0.O00 acres by Con-
sress to the North Pacific road. the Union cs.l-
mates the value of the grant At 1913 073.Gs3;
.nough tn build FIVE such roads A" aud uses The
ollowing iorcibIc bu: truthful language in ref
'reucc 10 the subject:
Enough 10 enable tho owners aud managers 10 bay
ul sell Courts. Legislators aud Congresses AT
viii. aud to tyranuiEe At ill the people who are
settle those States "a be. We drnouncc this sort
Tavy 1 the Wishes To- tho interests At tho people
whose lands arc thur nos aDly given away. bu. con.
svted into an ipssrune1. To- Cypress them and cor.
ups the springs Of Government
Ii the House Committee on Military Affairs
lrsire 10 expose the corruption aud venaity of
ome Of their brother members. we think they
would fad fruitful field for investigation in
into the subject of railroads and
and grants; but the strong probability of the
House being left without a quorum will un.
oubtedly deter them from undertaking such q
Tganiic investigation