The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1873-05-29
COMMUNICATED
AUSTIN. May 81, 1873.


The subject Of our internal improvement
policy is attracting the attention of the pub
lie at this time, more perhaps, than at any
other for several years, and is one in which
our greatest interest seems to be involved,
from the fact that we have vast domain,
only partially populated where it is occu-
pied at ALL and large portion entirely I'M
occupied, that will not become populated,
or valuable in any manner to our State,
until it is brought into notice and utility by
the building of railroads.
The railroad policy of the State, adopted
during the years from 1850 to 1860, by
granting donations of sixteen sections of
land permile to every company constructing
twenty five miles of railway, seemed tOmect
the views of our people in every section of
the State, and the act authorizing loan of
six thousand dollars of the public school
fund, per mile, was tOlerabIy acceptable to
most of our people; in fact, the only COM
plant that | remember to have been made
was to the acts granting reservations to
belts of land to railway companies, to the
exclusion of the older claims of those who
had become entitled to land, either by ser
vice as soldiers, or act ofimmigratiOn.
Those who framed our present COnstitu-
ton seemed disposed not only to abandon
this policy, but undertook to prevent the do
nation of any land to purposes of internal
improvements and reserved the public
land fora different purpose altogether and
a Legislature composed of Representatives
and-0ctatOrs Of the same political party
that framed the Constitution found itself
environed by the representatives of the great
railway interests of the country, to such an
extent that they were possibly annoyed by
finding themselves unable to make donations
in land in aid of necessary enterprise, and
by the use of very strong persuasive
argument, which it is said is often appealedtO
in there corrupt times by Railroad Rings. =
they were induced to make large donations
in the bonds of the State to aid some of
these enterprises and also to provide for the
amendment of the Constitution, so that the
public land might he used for this purpose.
This amendment was acceptable to the
people, because part of the Constitution.
and under its provisions, the Legislators are
authorized to make these donations of land,
and have no doubt that the people of the
State expect the Legislature to return to in
ternal improvement policy adopted by the
Legislature previous to 1860 except as to the
loan of the public school fund, and reserva-
lions in favor of railway companies to the
exclusion of other meritorious claimants,
and as the vast improvement of Middle and
Eastern Texas is attributable to the con-
struction of railroads through those sections.
they doubtless expected that the Legisla-
ture would be liberal in the quantity of
land donated, and not unreasonable in the
condition and restrictions imposed i'm its
acceptance.
Up to this time there seems to be no gen
eral policy, with regard to internal i'm
prOvements agreed upon in that body, and
the special legislation, so far as it has cx-
hibited its disposition, seems prejudicial TO
those enterprises, and not only calculated
to discourage those that have been com
menced, but to prevent any others from be
ing commenced for some time to come.
The attention of capitalists had been
turned to Texas as IL ripe field for invest
ment, and several millions of dollars had
been expended in the State within the last
two years, and had this Legislature adopted
liberal, or | may say, even just policy.
several additional millions of money would
have been spent in the State within the
next two years, and several miles of rail
way constructed, by which the present pop
ulatiOn would have been greatly benefited
in the increased value of their lands and
other property, the facilities of travel and
trade, and large, very large, increase of
population, by which the wealth of the
country would have been increased. and
consequently the faxes reduced.
The resert ation system is clearly unjust
to a portion of our citizens, and unnec-
essary, as rbilway companiTr would have ac-
L1t tli,,. lEionS ~ sa. .r ~; r,
even twenty . .lt,nsolf 'ilsaGSff}l to III m11e,
for every ten }miles of completed railway
constructed in the State, would result in
good to the entire State, as by it We would
aid and encourage the construction of tn G
roads. get our public domain regularly sur
veyed in sections of six hundred and forty
acres, One-half of which would he the
property of the State, and the other half
become taxable property, and source of in
come, instead of being not only valucleSS to
us as it is at present, but the home and hunt
ing ground of the enemies of the white man.
who will never be successfully driven from
it, until by the construction of railroads.
the population of the State is greatly
increased, and these lands occupied by
actual settlers.
The money subsidies granted TO the rail
way companies heretofore, was not in accord
ance with the wishes Of the people. and
clearly to my mind acts of misrepresenta-
ton upon the part of their representatives.
and probably in violation of the cOnstitu-
ton, but they were, and are. the acts of
body which was recognized at home
and abroad, rs the regular Constituted
authority to make such donations, and
there is no process by which they
can be set aside, and preserve our
State honor. and State character
except the courts of the county. to which
this question properly belongs, and the
doctrine that our Legislature can make
void vested rights acquired under a con
tract made in conformity with the provis-
ions of an act of 4 former Legislature, is
not only new, but entirely unsafe and dam
gerous to thebeSt interests of the country.
individuals who make cOntrats and enter
into obligations, either in their own persons
or by their agents, are expected to comply
with them, and cannot avoid it. if able
without total sacrifice of principle and
honor, unless they can show equitable and
legal cause why they should not and it
ought to be, and is so with States, and
we must comply with our contract with
these parties directly in accordance with
the face of the agreement itself,
compromise with them upon the
best terms we can get, or get them
annuled by thcpropcr legal tribunals, and do
not believe that they will he annuled by
the courts of this State, or of the United
States. The moncyed power of railroad
rings has doubtless been eXertcd upon the
legislation of the Congress of the United
States, and of the different States, until
these bodies have been greatly corrupted,
and in some instances even the corruption
has extended to the courts, and we should
he warned by the past, and guard, rs far as
practicable, against such calamities in future,
but in doing this we must not. by improper
restrictions. so trammel the enterprises that
we compel their abandonment.
There are many things connected with
the carrying trade of this. rs we'll as all
other countries presume, that need cor
rection, and the transportation of persons,
produce and merchandise made cheaper.
and know that we have great reason to
complain at the impositions of all our pub
lie corrinrc m a o,rp9tpr less but