The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1870-09-22
OEeratiOnS of the Land Pirates.

If the Radical majority in Congress were
responsible for no crimes against the peo-
pie save the series Of gigantic swindlcS by
which the public domain has been be-
slowed upon railroad corporations there
would be ample cause to turn then out Of
power. Men are shocked when they hear
of forgery which involves few thousand
dollars petty thief who steals sack of
flower to feed his starving family is ex.
ecrated, sent to the peniteniary, and if he
lives to return to the world, is banished
from society; but the congressional robber
who is guilty Of the grand larceny of hum
dreds Of million of acres of the public lands
is an honorable gentleman, receives the en-
dorsement of his party and confdentially
expects to be returned to Congress TO re-
peat his monstrOps crime. There is mnch
talk among demagogues and their dupes
of protection to the working people. But
the very charlatans who prate about their
concern tor the interests OF labor are the
men who finch from the laboring classes
the soil which under just homestead law
would be owned and titled by the latter.
Since the fourth of March, 1869, the radi
cal majority in Congress have taken from
the people and donated to corporations
nearly two hundred million of acres of the
public land. We are now enabled to par
COMPANIES. ACRES.
Chicago and Northern. ...1SS, sol
Bayde Noque and Marquette. lbs, 600
st. Paul and Pacific. 500, 900
Branch ST. Paul and Pacific. $50, 900
Minnesota Central. ...................29 O, 900
W mona ana St. feter....... 690, 900
Memphis and Little Rock ............. sos, $50
CAIRO and FultOn................... 965, 65i
little Rock and Fort Smith. ..45S,77I
Iron Mountain Railroad. 900
Cairo and Fulton. ...13S,7IS
lIvu Huuutai u".............. 400, 900
Jackson, Lansing and Saginaw...1 ,O52, 400
Flint and Pere Marquette. 1856, SD
Lake Superior and Misslsslppi......SO 900
Minnesota Southern. ................735, 900
Hastings and Dacotab ........... .....55O 900
st. Joseph and Denver City.....l, 100000
kansas and Nesho valley;,..:::...2, ESQ, 600
faaAattdhpsvrinfie ana sacrame nto so 600
California and regon......."...1,5 $40, 600
Atlantic and Paclfc..............42 900, 600
Northern Pacific. ..................20,0 900, 600
Stock;ns.on and Copperolis.. 800, 900
Preceding Congresses, in which the Rad
lcals had majorities, gave to the Union Ia
cifc Railroad $1,000, 900 acres of land OF
course it will be said in justification of this
iSidtiUI Ludt IL was necessary
to effect the construction of railroad to
the Pacific coast. 1t is not true. The gov
eminent gave some seventy millions in
bonds to the Union Pacific Railway Com
pany, which, with the private capital in
vested in the enterprise, was a sum amply
sufficient to build the road. The subsidies
in all lands Are intended only to enable the
corporation to which they are given to
make enormous speculations off the actual
settlers who in the course Of time will be-
come purchasers There are now pending
in the House of Representatives at least q
dozen bills passed by the Senate proposing
further gift of the public lands to railroad
companies. If the same class Of men which
composed the last two Congresses consti-
tute majority for the next, two years
hence there will remain but little of that
magnificent domain which should have fur
nished free farms to the workingmen of the
country. The cry of the Radical leaders,
some years ago, was Land for the Land
less - It is now changed to Land for the
Lobby. ~ harrisburg Patriot.