The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1870-12-24

year, by patent or ether equivalent, evil
dence of title TO State and corporations,
2,7S4 ,625,713 acres. It is estimated
that an additional quantity of 174,735,-
523 acres is still due under grants for
like uses.
The policy of thus aiding the States
in building works of internal improves
ment was inaugurated more than forty
years since, in the grants to Indiana and
Illinois TO aid those States in opening
canals to connect the waters Of the Wa
bash with those of Lake Erie, and the
waters of Illinois with those of Lake
Michigan; it was followed, with some
notifications, in the grant to Illinois of
alternate sections of public land within
certain limits of the Illinois Central Rail-
road.
Fourteen States and sundry corpora>
tions have received similar subsidies in
connection with railroads completed, or
IN process of construction AS the re-
served sections are rated at the double
minimum, the sale of them at the en-
hanced rates has thus, in many instances,
indemnified the Treasury for the granted
funds. The construction of some ofthese
thoroughfares has undoubtedly given a
vigorous impetus to the development of
our resources and the settlement of the
more distant portions of the country.
1t may, however, be understood that
much of our legislation in this regard has
been characterized by indiscriminate and
profuse liberality. The United States
should not loan their credit in any enter
prise undertaken by States or corpora
tions, nor grant lands in any instance,
unless the projected work is of acknowl-
edged national importance. l am strongly
inclined TO the opinion that it is inexpe-
dient and unnecessary to bestoW subsi-
dies of either description; but should
| Congress determine otherwise, earnestly
recommend that the rights of settlers and
OF the public be more effectually secured
and protected by appropriate legislation.
THE WEST SIDE RoAD.-In our last
issue the fact was announced that Ben.
Holladay had proposed that if the citi-
zens of Portland would assure him GER
tain sum, he would proceed to build the
West Side Road, making Portland a ter
minal point. From the papers of that
city We learn that the committee appoint-
ed to solicit subscriptions under this
proposition, have gone to work, and are
meeting with good success. From our
standpoint the proposition seems fair
/ one, and the citizens of Portland should
not hesitate moment to secure the ben
Gifts accruing to her by such an enter
prise, though the sum asked for were
treble. The advantages to Portland
arising from the construction Of the road,
arc so many and palpable to every one, that
We should think it only necessary to make
the proposition public to secure its ac-
ceptancc at once; and we believe that if
the mere securing of the 500, 600 asked
for Is all that stands in the way. of the
undertaking, that part of the business
viii soon be settled with bat little effort,
and the West Side will soon be en- % ing
the benefit of a ossssd equal in all respects
ta the t114Ere5-55on t114r55on & California, built by Ben
Holladay & Co., on the East Side. The
needs Of the West Side demands that the
road should be built, and that too as soon
as practicable, and we hope to at least
see twenty miles of the road completed
before the close of 1871.