The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1875-10-10
DALLAS, TEXAS.
SUNDAY MORNING ::::::: OCT. 10.
LANDS FOR RAILROADS.
Let Justice be Done 10 all Parts OF
the state.

the s1bJdct to the western half OF TN
State, we Will be pardoned for agar
calling the attention of the members
of the Convention to the great ipJust
ice about TO he perpetrated In the con
tomniated clause - Viie oo'''''"''".
prohibiting lands to railroads.
The Legislature of 1856 was compos
ed of men who, we think, Will com
pare favorably with any similar as
semblage that has met together since
the foundation of the State, In patriot
ism, conservatism and all the elements
which combine to make up II safe and
trustworthy deliberative body. 1t was
by that Legislature that the General
Land Bonus Act was passed donating
to all railroad companies sixteen Sec
tlons of land to the mile on the con-
dition OF the completion OF twenty-five
miles of road. The railroads in vari-
Gus parts of the State which before
that time had commenced, were
struggling along under the most unto
ward circumstances. The Act was
passed by Legislature composed al
most entirely of Democrats under the
influence of u most commendable pub
lie spirit. 1t was stretching out of the
hand of great State to extend the aid
of Government to private enterprise
for the development of the great re-
sources of the country, to open up
avenues of transportation and of
trade, and to make the land an invit-
ing one Ito the emigration
of the world. 1t was the
practical Inauguration of scheme in
the most sagacious craftsmanship,
which has resulted in untold blessings
to II large portion of the common
wealth. There being no navigable
rivers in Texas worthy of the name, it
was admitted on all hands that rail-
roads, and railroads alone, were espe-
cially needed In every portion of the
land, and the plan thus inaugurated
was conceived not alone as applicable
to roads then in being but to enter
prises yet to be commenced, continued
and completed in all parts of the State.
Rich rs Texas was in lands, and rich
only in lands, her statesmen foresaw
that 1t was only by utilizing that fund
that they could ever hope to see their
country checkered with roads and ar
tiiicial improvements of like nature,
SO essential to u successful develop
ment. The great interior of the State,
the richest and most bounteous In its
natural gifts that the sun shines upon
In all its revolutions, could never DO
rapidly peopled except by speedy
multiplication of these iron roads.
Private capital had been brought into
action in the commencement of a few
lines leading from the Gulf, extending
slowly toward the country, but this re.
source had already been well-nigh
exhausted. Foreign capital in adequate
quantities must be induced to come
but 1t was an admitted fact that II
would never come into II new and
strange country except upon the offer
of a bonus. And thus the scheme was
put in motion to make the offer in
spirit of just and generous liberality,
in that commodity alone which the
State had to give, and to make the
offer a general one, uncontiued to any
particular locality or particular section,
but so general rs to embrace within its
provisions every part of the State.
The lawmakers of 1856 never conceiv-
ed for moment that the beneficent
measures which We're then Inaugural
ted, We're ever to be limited to any
part of Texas, but that all parts should,
as the great future should open up the
country, share equally and alike in
thV oiNEoluSo w INV HUH tIltIT WISE
enactlnents. The frat, of course, TO be
benefited by the scheme would be the
roads then commenced and those In
immediate contemplation. There
were some who opposed the plan be-
cause they thought that Texas was in.
dependent of the world, and would be
better off without any railroads at all,
but wiser counsels prevailed, and as 1t
ever Is, intelligence, sagacity and
progressive public spirit won the day. |
In addition to this Land Bonus Act,
there was passed by the same Legisla-
ture the, act loaning the school fund,
including premium OH United States
bonds, to railroad companies half
to roads east and the other half to
roads west of the Trinity riyer---at the
rate Of $4,000 per mile. This, as the
sequel proved, was treading upon dan. |
gerous ground, and Is mentioned here
to show the spirit which animated the
representatives Of the people at that
day--a spirit which embraced In It's
programme every portion of the State
IA spirit liberal and just to every sec
ton In an unlimited appropriation of
public lands Us well as Of public credit
then at their command. Ii was not
then contemplated by any one that
these appropriations of lands and this
ioaning OF Che school fund should be-
confined to the east, or to the middle
but that whenever the west should be
ready TO receive their share, there
should be no lack Of the funds for their
advancement az well.