New-York tribune., 1871-11-22
RAILROAD L1ND-GRANTS.

That politicians should seek to influence the
movements among laboring men, now tending
toward united organization, is too much mat
ter of course to need comment. Should they
succeed in dvcrting them to the furthcring of
personal ambitions, and thus utterly dissipate
whatever strength the young organizations
may have, the event would not be unprccc-
dented in our political history, nor, perhaps.
be- greatly regretted. But the cxpcdicnts used
TO obtain control, by some of the would-be
leaders of tho Labor party, arc unJustllablo,
and may cOmplcate with needless embarlass-
mcnts problems already difficult to solve.
These dcmagOgue arts are especially apparent
in attempts to stir up ill-fccling respecting the
policy of Congress of granting public Lands IN
aid of internal improvements. This is mat
ter quite foreign to the purposes of the Labor
organizations. and is dragged into platforms
and resolutions apparently as the foundation
for available excitement Our Congress
policy respecting tho public lands has
been fully discussed by the people and
the press and an approving verdict rendered,
which experience is ratifying every day. That
our national hberaty should be abused, ls
perhaps unavoidable; that tho limit to its
proper exercise has been reached. is quite pos
sible hut that this enlightened policy. 80 far
a. pursued. is already justified. and that 1t
will return thousand fold all it has cost the
country, must be apparent to every candid
observer. II is but ten years since this policy
was practically applied to the development OF
our railroad system; but, even in that short
tmc enough has been accomplished abun-
dainty to establish this position.
At the close of last year. the railroads en-
dowcd with grants of land, completed. in
course of construction, eand projected with
reasonable assurance of completion, were
IS 600 miles in extent. The SUM of $780, 10000
was expended during the year in these improve
mcnts with $3OO,OOO0OO previously invested
in construction and equipment. AS it is stated
on competent authority that railroads add five
times their cost TO the wealth of the commn-
nifty, it may be claimed that we are enriched
hereby to the extent of $l,50O,OOOOOO. What
proportion will the former worth of all the
lands granted to these railroads bear to such
fg,rcsf The business of these railroads.
during the first half of the present year is r>-
timatcd at S75.O0O.0CO fully one-half more
than the amount done during the correspond
ing period in 1870. This traffic gives employ
ment directly to more than 1900 men, beside
the great number OF men employed in con-
The immigration into the new
districts opened to settlement amounts to-day
to not less than 100000 people. Though NOT
a clear addition of this number to the total
population of tho country, this movement
should count for nearly as much for the reason
that it takes people from locations where they
are not wanted and places them where in
dustry can create capital. These railroads
have generally adopted the policy of favorng
in every possible way and this
not from the dictates OF any charitable i'm
pulse that might wax to-day and wane to-
morrow but from an enlightened conviction
that their own best interests demand it.
The monopoly to be feared from these great
corporations is not a monopoly of real estate
ApprehensOns on this score arc suggested by |,
the dangerous state of land-tcn,llc in England: |
but, under the totally different conditions oh |
tanning here, such fears are unfOundcd. The |
true policy of the Railroads il
not to hold their lands, but to sell them to |
actual settlers, with the utmost prac icable |
Dispatch. The sooner a Railroad Company |
can transfer its grant into the hands of pIOs-
porous communities. settled along its line tho
better for it. AfOrctime, the land was mOnO,O-
lizcd by spectators in advance Of immigration
and the settler was forced out at least fifty
miles into the wilderness to reach land sub
lect to entry. Now, the Railroads, beside
holding their own lands at lo~ prices and pro-
hibltiRg speculation. will convey the settler to
the very spot where he may select eighty acres
for entry, atiorng him every facility,
just IA readily whether he buys an acre
OF their lands or not. And they will buy from
hlm and find market for him the moment he
Tells his frat tree. or harvc>ts his first bI,hrl
OF corn. His farm, put in good condition. with
good improvements. will cost less actual cl,h