Middletown transcript., 1875-07-03
The farmer and His Oppres-
sions.
~ n. Barr.

Staten pQSpe0eeQ vast Hactb VI t1uusau
the Western States and Territories.
These lands we're the common property
Of the States and were held by the
General Government for the benefit Of
the people. 1t was then believed that
the Fsis of these lands would produce
q large revenue for the Republic, which
could be expended in various enter
prizes for the benefit Of the country at
large and render unnecessary anything
like national tax on the inhabitants.
A shrewd railway magnate Of the
West conceived the happy idea Of build
ing road ut the cost Of the people Of
the whole country. In the year above
named the application Of the Illinois
Central Railroad for assistance was pre-
sented to the Government. Congress
passed on act granting the State Of llI
iinois six sections Of and per mile Of
road constructed from Chicago to Cairo
The State transferred this grant TO the
Illinois Central Railroad Company,
The quantity Of land embraced in this
grant was two millions, five hundred
and ninety.6ve millions Of acres. This
immense property consisted Of . broad
strip Of land, lying son each sida.lof the
line Of the road throughout the entire
length Of the State and for distance
Of six miles on each side Of the track.
It was magnificent grant ssA,i s3ai
The example Of the Illinois Central
Company was not lost. upon the other
companies Each company had its
champion 10 Congress" and applications
for land grants began to pour il, upon
that body. Having granted such aid
10 one case, Congress could not. with
q good grace. refuse,it in. Others, and
the result was. thatthe greater portion
Of the public ldemaipi has been given
away to railway corporations the peo-
pie Of the country receiving, practically,
no valuable consideration for these
grants. s1s9 phe ''''s7 s's'. 8.
So common. has the 'customab become
Of giving public lands to railway cor
porations to enable them to build their
roads, that ii present. the fifst care Of
the directors Of d new enterprise Of this
kind, is to obtain from the government
land enough u dsfray the cost Of the
road. Thuss thes people pay for the
road and the corporation receive sths
profits. Members Of Congress seem to
agree thoroughlybswi the railway
directors Of the present day, in the be-
lief that iifsd tie duty Of the General
Government t6anake athe itaxapaysrs of
the United States build roads ofof Tie
benefit Of the stock -holdefs:sa Very
many Of, tho railHay snterpEises Of the ! !!
present day would !, not be Y lis undertaken.
but for the hope VI 5ecsiving Govesrn1VT s11V I.
them, although for their own private
benefit, rely upon using the property
|of the whole people, rather than their
|own. Their plan is very simple. It
| itpgianpiyo@ r5btHs nstisd Gifts posses-
sions ;mith itha aidu.and andie6nniyanch;n nf
the Augasty body pfamsu to, whose keep
ING the ,tFhst hps been con6dedi g1!i li4 The The
lands granted BY Congress TO various
fhaffas s1aSf pbotatioGns tfioGns make 1up Z grand
totdlsSiss.of 1893, 1B6. 704 acres = or,
abonAs3 90 .D0Og square, miles, j. Texas
and, theItwo Yirginias combined would
make an area smaller than that of the the
lands IA thus lafHsa given away sayl sen'' =.
aiYhis dedsraF dovefHniedt has grant.
eddmmense trsc,sof land 10! rhes several
Pacific, o1.ilwsysst .ter the aCehtral and
the Union, Pacific r9ads A 4 total o,l1l Of 80, J
LOCO 900; to,the Northern Pacific 5S,-
/ 5000 AID ID The Atlantic and Pacifc
re; 600 ,0oO,, making . grand total given
awayto thsss thredJ railways Of 1S5s-
900, 09p acres ;i orisboas zoo. 900 square
f:ndss' H. oil.v o.sver, lavisbly as q they hey
/ FAVE beeR given away no l6f1ger fto,i
plihislbf'failway e1pects.iens. The
| grsed oftas corporations has extendbd
| tostbe spublie; funds, and. bonds and
money are now demanded with as much
c,ooolnesss as lands, The railway incor,
/ p6rat6fc have harmed that with d pliasi
gsDkbssJ, it iel easy to- draw from ths
NaidHalo Treasury the funds,thsy ase
not ,,rjlliag tps pspEoyide for their priyatf
enterprises. 10 order to effect this they
sinRaiiitai 1T Washington. force Of paid
Lobbyists ~h6Se lbusinessiit is4 olinfu.
spoesabsiegiilation of CougtessIby I'm!
pktsiotissasnAa aillegsls means loWhsl
| these, means are, vas shown. s3y the ip.
| vestigations attending the Credit No
I|bfiief scandal 1 session Of two ago. -
/ adj 10 yiliagg.. s.ll q !.4 .9.- ,s'sias7
L u 1lrGgf snibaa9zs M NJ Tyassersrs