The new North-west., 1872-12-14
8
THE RAILROAD QUESTION

| sSso~so uOSsss PsOSSo SuS 4NSSS4 49, OOVb1
Railroad question in new ph1ls Il j
said Mr. Jno. II. Young, President of th'
Utah Northern Narrow Gauge Raj ilroad
proposes to 1uild hss road into central Hon
tana in one gear for a su6sidy Of one million
douars. This Is considerably better than the
four million project better even than the
tao aaiQios project which have had sue
jealous, impetuous and interested advocates.
Every day ID demonstrating thai many peo.
pie wisely enough desiring carly railroad
communication, became rashly inconsider>
ate and joined cry for shc'wiltls.t folly
and most outrageous cxtravns sancc,: and de-
nouncetl in unmcasured and .meanest LAM
guagc any one who opposed their schemes
o. folly and counsslIcd prudence. .t.t
Let us say herr again. We are in favor of,
al the railroads that can be sdvsntsgeously
brought To Montana. and at tl,e earliest day
possible: Propided, that their advantages
shall be ss great and their cost q little as
possible to the people of Montana If the
schcmes for $s,0oO,0 900, or $4,000, 900. had
prevailed. those who contributed to It would
have been guilty Of ruinous and unpar-
donable folly and crime If the scheme for
I'm extra session called by the Governor shall
prevail they will lie guilty Of supreme folly,
at less cost. Yet many persons committed
themselves TO one or the other of these
projects. They simply permitted Ring Of
schcners to take them by the nose and lead
them up to the idea of quick extra session.
when hurrah would bs raised aud q pow>
erful lobby would compel the Legislature to
''stand and deliver" Against this and
against Territorial subsidy to local road;
against the mortgaging Of the Territory for
more than it's realty valuation to q project
that did not contemplate the completion of
the Subsidized road within the time the
Northern Pacific will probably reach here
without costing Us = dollar and giving "
infinitely greater benefits. We have taken
position. and perhaps in some measure con.
trib;:cd to avert such II calamity.
Now comes tho alleged proposition of Mr.
YouAs to complete road to Central Mon>
'ana IN one year for 81 ,OOO, 900. That is
earlier than We can possibly have any other
road. and q year earlier railroad commanica.
tton is consummation dev0utly to be
wished. While we have serious doubts Of
his ability u complete it in that time, it
must be admitted his route Of completed
road gives him good start If the people
of tho Ess: Side. therefore, believe it is to
their interest to give 81 200, 900 subsidy,
and pay *CO, 900 per annum interest for 30
years to have this rs,lrnsd--s2 500, ,OOO in all
let the initiatary steps be taken pruden,ly.
First: There should l,c no extra session
called by the Governor of Montana. There
is not dollar Of United States money 10
pay tho expenses: 1t wonld sll fall on Mon.
tana, and the Territory Is ton heavily in
debt now. 1t will bc necessary for wl,st-
ever company builds the rG,d 10 obtain
RIGHT or WAY from Congress anyhow. 50.
there will be no time lost in applying tu
Congress, for . Resolution. authorizing u
session Of ten or fifteen days. which will BE-
ample time to transact oil the business dc.
manding legislation. Let this Resolution
provide that there shall be no Territorial
subsidy granted at this session to any rail-
road. and that this special session shall be
tho regular biennial session. and the next
subsequent regular session shall be held
two years after. II this shall be done, 4
the West Side will chccriully stand its share |
of the expenses of the session, and render
any assistance It can to procure It, s.s |
The reasons for this suggestion We believe |
orc good. First--Thc regular sessions and
Legislative elections as now fixed by law
arc ''out OF joiat." Members elected, in
stead of coming fresh from the people in>
structed as to their wants IN Legislative
matters, do mot take their seats in regular
session until nearly eighteen months after
the election. Some remove, some die, none
resign, and all orc representatives, elected on
scarce remembered issues This Is all
wrong. The session Should succeed the
election as soon as possible. This can only
be now rcctified by C'ngrcss. BY procuring
regular session, that difficulty will he ad.
justed. asa
second-Therc Is no cxigcncy requiring q
session OF over ten days. An extra session
cannot be limited in time by the Governor,
and legislators win not expedite business
unless 1t ID compulsory. The amendments
to the laws, incorporation act, and subsidy
act Tan he considerably drawn, discussed
and enacted IN that time.
Third-This subsidy should not be Terri.
torial The Courier cites Colorado as hay.
Ing given heavy subsidies and being greatly
benefited thereby. The Territory Of Color.
ado neoer gaee do!lar Of subsidy and soo.
uerer asked 70. What subsidies have been
granted, have been by counties and towns.
II this North and South road Is built the
counties not reached BY it will be relatively
% the counties trayersed, in . worse con.
1itton than they now arc. We will have to
build connecting roads Of our own it the
Northern Pacific does not reach US, and the ,
already iraverscd would not con.
rSoutc penny to assist Us, nor would We
'xpect them TO- The proposition to make ,
his subsidy Territorial, will be fought by |
he counties not travcrsed at every step Of 8
70 progress. Therefore a. matter Of right, /
md justice, and prudence, we suggest that /
y applying to Congress, the applicants re.
luest that MI. Clsgett draw bill provid. q
ng against Territorial subsidy. a
This can oil bc done promptly and it will /
csult in submitting to the people directly b
the question of whether or nat , !
benefit will bc gained by the y
symcnt Of the subsidy that may he voted D
y the Legislature. Il is the only right I
ncthod 70 50 about this thing, and it en-. Ii
odics MI the West Side asks and all the I
'ast Side should demand. Mr.. Young has n
OF yet made = formal proposition that We G
now Of, and in expectation that lie will Y
cry soon, wc defer until another issue
Dnaidcrn tiOn NJ what HE ,er..;ore s...,..,..