The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1873-08-21
THE GAZETTE.
REPUBLICAN STAE TICKET.

FOR ATTOKNSY GENERAL.
GEORGE P. WILSON, of Winona.
AWord Against the Onslaught on
Railroads.
1t would be almost impossible, and
useless if it could be done, to read all
that is written, east and west, on the
various phases Of the railroad question.
Gov. Booth, Of California, has struck
out for national reputation by de
nouncing, in general and in particular,
the Central Pacific road. Ohio and
Maine Conventions found relief in res
olutions expressive Of opposition to
congress, granting any more aid to the
building of Railroads. Here, there
and everywhere, We hear similar utter
anccs
Denouucing railroads is safe busi-
ness nowadays to that class Of our
citizens who make their livings by
sailing with the popular current.
Railroad corporations have been guilty
ofoppressive acts; have abused their
privileges and frequently disregardsd
public rights and interests; and con-
dcmuation Of these, by the public, and
efforts to redress them are just aud
right. Congress has granted lands to
roads in excess Of what was necessary
to accomplish the object Of the grant
Denunciatiou Of that excess, especially
if corruptly procured, is justi6at le and
right. But the abuse is no reason
why the policy Of granting portions Of
the public domaia for purposes Of in.
,ernal morovements should be con-
demned aud abandoned, and the abuse
Of rights and privileges by Railroad
managers is no reason for either, de-
prieing the roads Of the rights, or
loading them down with conditions
that would render them useless.
Just as good reasons can be given
for granting lands to Railroad COM
panies as for giving homesteads to ac.
tual settlers. Unoccnpied lands are val.
uelcs. to the government; aud are next
thin. to valueless to b1.h government
and settlers when entirely beyond rail
road advantages. There is no portion
ofthe undevelopcd public lands, where,
the giving one halt to the building of
a railroad that would devc!ope the
whole. would not, immensely, advan-
ta9e the government. The benefits
ACQUIRING from the development of any
portion Of tn country are not confined
to the particular section developed, but
reach the whole country, by the in
crease Of productions and of taxable
property These same land grant
roads have been the means Of pouring
millions of dollars into the Golfers Of
those Sections in the Eastern States
that now cry so Justify against squan-
dcring the public domain.
1t is senscless in any person, east or
west, especially west, to expect rail
roads to be built through sparsely set.
tied sections of the west, with no other
inducement than the business that the
road will have to do. Aid Of some
kind must be furnished and it is reas-
enable and right that the government
should do it, when it can do 50 benefi
cially to itself and the whole country
But it is not either reasonable or right,
or an enlightened public policy to
with hold aid, that is not detrimental
to any section, because it is especially
beneficial to particular section.
The Eastern States have no possible
interest in the public lands except to
have them brought under cultivation
and thereby add to the wealth, and tax
paying capacity of the country. The
lands can benefit them in no other way
and when eastern conventions make
opposition to railroad land grants a
plank in their platforms, it is nothing
more than cheap way Of making po.
litical c'pital BY joining in the gen.
eral raid against railroads.