The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-03-09


though this vas drawing rather 4 fine
point. II reads more like an excuse than
IN Argument. s's3s
OF the third and principal reason
che following is the opening paragraph:
'.lt appears 10 me that the lands are ap-
portionsd BY the terms Of this aot largely
on the basis Of votes or political power,
while the merits and necessities Of project
aed lines Of road, and other enterprises,
have been secondary confederation. To
the North half Of the State there 10 mot an
aere granted or reserved. Tho north and
south line between ranges 20 and 80, (wests
9TH mSridian). divides tho State into two
parts of equal area, east and west. West
7 of this line this act dsdicates but 100, 900
asrss, though half Of the State in area, be-:
i ng rapidly settled up now without rail.
roads or other works Of internal improve
ment, aad burdcned BY tho location Of ..
very large majority Of these non .taxpsying
; lands. Thus the SOUTHEASTERN quarter Of
The State 10 70 receive over three-fourths
Of the entire grant. This is an unfair ana
unequal division, 10 the prejudice Of the
other, three quarters of the State, for the
ressons-lst, that the southeast is already
much better provided with railroad facili-
ties; and 2l, it's better able to build
new and necessary roads from its own
resources; and Sd, II has received the msjor
part Of the benefits derived from the large
Government Land Grants, the roads being
frst bmlt in that section, while their lands
4 closed to the settler and contributing moth
ing to tighten the public burdens, lie on
the remote frontier; aud zth. it has re-
ceivsd Ill OF Whatever benefits have flown
from tie loan Of the State credit to the OK.
tent 81 $2,225, 900. 90 '', :.
It Is very true that the northwestern
quarter Of the State did not receive,
~ this bill, as large : portion Of the
lands . it should, but it is an Utopian
/ idea 81 justice which expects that :.
section weak politically viii receive all
! i should from any Legislative as.
sembly. Such an instance is not, We
bslisye, on record. 1t might have been
enoughl for Goveruor Austin to know
that North;;w estern Minnesota was vii
ling . aecept the proportion Of the
! grant marked ont fort, believing some
thi5g e s. better than nothing. =; It is
not however 80 much to his over-friend-
Il desire TO protect the frontier that We
object; that might al be we'll enough
il its way; but to bis claim to be do
Ing 80 By vetoing the Division bill
10 order to retain tho lands for paying
che Old railroad bonds. Every reason
he bas given in tho paragraph quoted
above to show that the division would
work injustice 70 the frontier, holds
with thres.fold force sgainst this bond
scheme. We will admit, with him,
that the entire bond debt may have to
b paid soma time. Then, in justice
10 the frontier, Let it be paid 10 cash.
The great body Of these lands lie on the
/ frontier, which has = yet no railroad
facilities. II they are devoted to the
building q railroads, this new country
viii - r,pidlj developed, ana be 10 !
position q bear il share Of the burden
81 the old debt. Within Eve years
ths lands given q the coutanies would
s. taxable, and thus the true interests
: 81 the frontier would be subserved. -
AZ The Same time, however, the larger
proportion Of the bond debt would fall
4 q ths older settled and we,lthier sec.
tons Of the S.ate-ths localities which,
8 Governor Austin says il objecting TO
this Bill, have received large Govern
llspt, grant, for their railroads, and al
~ bsnefs from the S2,225, 600 loan
3 And 6 they shoald, il common honesty,
/ md ysry certainly i tho spirit Of that
ea4aet juatics for which Governor Aus
e ca slaims 70 Be contending, pay the
4 l,joe PAT of the debt, But set aside
ads 70 psy the bonds, and how
q alds The '''remote frontier e An i'm,
b 800 bodyi Of its lands, sclosed 70 the
sttlsr md contributing nothing to
tighten tie public burdsns, Z i tied mp,
psrhaps ior year., e swat the settle
mont e this yexsd question. AS all
y & grants the State can expect to ~
sesiys id Is The building Of railroads.
hsys been already given . a.he south.
~ fiontisr must wait until the
Il lIoxth & tho country shall afford Isuf.
6oisnt traf6c o. dem.nd their construc
ton. Not only viii II have the diff
q eplt;es incident to oil new localities L
d ovsroome, bat there win be hanging =
81 Z this great area Of lands which can
81 II sttled, cansot be taxed, can,
US j. aDything but : dead weight, q
& lbus o. il prosperity these ,amt
81 Nhich Governor Austin insist.
81 outs pf sonsid era,ion for the ..rrc,
& : lionsies, !. g kept for the bond
. held .. AM, fa,th o these lands
6 q ~ bes rill pay but q: portion =
d dsbt ths frontier settlers must b
80, squ.lly With The rest Of |.. III