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

that the "net proceeds of the sale of said
lands" shall be applied to internal i'm
provements. The Governor holds that
the proceeds Of the sales OF the lands,
and not the lands themselves, must be
applied to specific objects. In view Of
the fact that Governor Austin, about
one year ago, affixed bis signature to
bill which, III effect, provided for the
exchange of these lands for the old
State railroad bonds, it would seem AZ
though this was drawing rather fine
point. 1t reads more like an excuse than
an argument.
OF the third and principal reason
tho following is the opening paragraph:
at appears to me that the lands are ap-
portioned by the terms Of this act largely
ON the basis Of votes or political power,
while the merits and necessities Of project
cd lines Of road, and other enterprises,
have been secondary consideration. To
the North half Of the State there is not an
acre granted or reserved. The north and
south line between ranges 20 and 80. (west
9th meridian). divides the State into two
parts Of equal area, east and west. West
Of this line this act dedlcates but 12O, 900
acres, though half Of the State in area, be-
ing rapidly settled up now without rail-
roads or other works Of internal improve
msnt, aud burdcned by the location of
very large majority Of these non-taxpaying
lands. Thus the south eastern quarter of
tho State il to receive over three-fourths
Of tho entire grant. This is an unfair ana
unequal division, to 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 2d, it Is better able to build
new and necessary roads from its own
resources; and Sd, it has received the major
part Of the benefits derived from the large
Government Land Grants, the roads being
first built in that section, while their lands
closed to the settler and contributing moth
ing to tighten the public burdens, lie on
the remote frontier; aud 9TH. it has re-
ceived oil Of whatever benefits have flown
from tie loan of the State credit to the ex.
tent Of 1925, 900.
It is very true that the northwestern
quarter Of the State did not receive,
by this bill, as large portion Of the
lands as it should, but it is an Utopian
idea Of justice which expects that
section weak politically will receive all
it should from any Legislative as
sembly. Such an instance is not, We
believe, on record. 1t might have been
enoughl for Governor Austin to know
that Northwestern Minnesota was viii
ling to accept the proportion of the
grant marked out for it, believing some
thing to DO better than nothing. 1t is
not however so much to his over.friend-
" desire to protect the frontier that we
object; that might all DO we'll enough
in its way but to his claim to be do
ing so by vetoiDg the Division bill
in order to retain the lands for paying
the old railroad bonds. Every reason
he has given in the paragraph quoted
above to show that the division would
work Injustice to the frontier, holds
with three-fold force against this bond
scheme. We will admit, with him,
that the entire bond debt may have to
be paid soma time. Then, in justice
to the frontier, let it be paid ia cash.
The great body of these lands lie on the
frontier, which has as yet no railroad
facilities. If they arc devoted to the
building Of railroads, this new country
will be rapidly developed, and be 10
position to bear its share of the burden
Of the old debt. Within Eve years
the lands given to the companies would
b. taxable, and thus the true interests
of the frontier would be subserved.-
At the same time, however, the larger
proportion Of the bond debt would fall
on the older settled and Weather Sec
lions of the State-the localities which,
Is Governor Austin says in Directing to
this bill, have received large Govern
ment giant, for their railroads, and all
tho benefits from the $2,225,Q00 loan
And 90 they shoald, in common honesty,
and very certainly iu the spirit Of that
exact Justice for which Governor Aus
I'D claims to be contending, pay the
n,jor. part Of the debt. But set aside
these lands to pay tho bonds, and how
stands the ''remote frontier 7" An i'm.
mense body of its lands, "closed to the
settler and contributing nothing to
tighten tho public burdeus," is tied up,
perhaps for years, to await the settle.
ment Of this vezed question. AS all
the grants tho State can expect to re-
ceive 70 aid in the building Of railroads
have been already given to "the south
! cast" the frontier must wait until the
growth Of the country shall afford sui.
6cient traffic to demand their construc-
J ton. Not only will 1t have the diff.
!, culties incident to all new localities to
overcome, but there will be hanging to
it this great area Of lands which can
4 not be settled canuot be taxed, can
not be anything but dead weight, an
incubus on its prosperity these same
!. lands which Governor Austin insists
must, out Of consideration for the Gre
i mote frontier" be kept for the bond
holders. And, further, as these lands,
It the best, will pay but a. portion Of
the debt, the frontier settlers must be
taxed, equally with the rest Of the
State-and this is the FIRST point where
equality comes ia-to wipe out the bal.
ance; while the lands, becoming the
possession Of private spectators, will be,
49, 81