The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-05-09

Mr. Landers, of Indiana. Mr.. Speaker, the
amendment in the nature OF substitute 10
house bill No. Az, commonly known as the
Texas and Pacific railroad BILL which / have
s. omitted for the consideration of the house,
has been offered in no spirit OF hostility TO the
project of constructing another railroad along
a southern route from the Mississ tppt river TO
the Pacific ocean. On the contrary, 1t embod-
fes as 1 believe principles and measures far
less omen to objection and consequt ntly far
better calculated to attain the end desired,
than the original bill or any OF Its amend
ments presented to this house. am not, Mr.
SDea. er, in favor of the federal government
entering upon a general system OF internal
improvements; but there are certain improve
ments of "a national character which are man.
ifestiy of vast importance to the federal gov
eminent and the people at large, and which
are far bevonO the reach of private capital,
that can not possibly be undertai- en- and ear
ried through successfully without the ala
of the federal government being eX-
tinction, and the policy which it implies, has
been recognized and acted upon by the lead
Ing statesmen of all parties almost since the
foundation of the governn emit, and with the
most beneficial results. As early as 1896 Mr..
Jefferson approved bill passed by congress
to aid in the construction of a road from Cum
berland to Wheeling. In 1917 Mr.. Calhoun
advocated in this body the constitutional pow-
er of congress to appropriate the dividends
and interest on the bOnds of the United States
bank to the construction of roads and canals;
again in 1885 he advocated the granting of aid
TO a road from Cincinnati TO Chattanooga; and
again in 1919 he advocated the principle of
governmental aid to a Pacific road on the
southern route.
In 1877 an act of congress donated $780,
bash and Erie canal. The measure was sup
ported by Benton, X. NJ. Johnson, Rufus
King, Horat'o Seymour, and others OF like
distinction. In 1850 congress granted 2,5O0,0OO
acres of land to aid the construction of the IL
Hnois Central railroad. The bill was intro
duced by stephen A. Douglas. and received the
support of Benton, Cass, Houston, Shields
Tor Their rreat aSiIitY and sfrict constTuction
IF nv the constitution
upon the federal government. The policy aud
results of these grants by congress in new
Robert McClelland secretary of the interior,
in his annual report of December B. 1883:
There can be as little doubt of the constitu-
tionality of such grants IS of their propriety.
The right to donate a part for the enhance
ment of the value of the residue can no Ion ger
be questioned. The principle has been adopted
and acted upon for nearly 80 years. .
IL has been OF incalculable Importance to the
great west, and either directly or indirectly to
all the states"
In 1856 both of the great political parties of
the day incorporated in their platforms q
plank in favor of extending governmental aid
20 a railroad to the Pacinc ocean. Indeed, in
February, 1850, a bill passed the senate for the
construction OF three railroads to the Pacific
a Northern, a Southern and a Central Pacific
railroad. may add that up to the breaking
out of the rebellion the construction of no less
than three railroads, in order to do justice to
all sections of the country alike, was almost
universally advocated by those who sought to
sieyeIoD the Immense resources of the i6ferior
of the continent and to bind together more
firmly the various sections of our widely ex-
tended country. But the breaking out of the
rebellion in 1861 put end for a time TO all
hope of carrying out the original plan. The
Union Pacific and the Central Pacific were,
however, completed, and, Notwithstanding
the fact that their construction was attended
with great speculation and fraud, they have
proved of incalculable benefit to the nation at
large.
It is true to refer briefly to what followed
that the substituting of these roads by the gov
eminent led to a mania for building land
grant roads, which was encouraged by con-
gress in the most reckless and disgiaceful
manner. Railroad projects, both good and
bad, were unfortunately aided by congress-
without the slightest regard to the character
of the enterprises. and the wants OF the region
which they proposed to traverse, or the inter
ests OF the nation at large; and dishonest men
were enabled to swindle not only the govern
ment but the people of this as well as foreign
countries In the most shameful manner. IL is
not surprising, In view Of these facts, chat .
strong pref udice exists i'm the minds of the
people anu of members of this house against
the policy Of the government extending fur
Their aid TO projects of similar character.
But no such considerations should be
permitted TO control actions at
the present time. The question Is
one OF too much Importance and too far
reaching in its consequences to be considered
and disposed of lightly or with prejudiced
mind. IL Is within our power 10 open up TO
civilization vast region, rich beyond cal
culation In natural resources, now Occurfed
by the savage alone, and TO add immensely to
oat adding one 1ota TO the burdens of govern
ment, IL wise policy is pursued in the deter
minatiOn OF this question.
have no doubt whatever, Mr. Speaker as
TO our constitutional right to aid a work OF
national inn ortance, though shall not go
lingo any elaborate discussion of the question,
but rely simply upon the fact TO which have
already adverted, that the right has been
recognized and acted upon since an early
eminent 1t will be observed that the states
men whom have cited as favoring govern
mental al to national projects all belong TO
the school known as strict cOnstructionists
Mr.. Calhoun, who was noted in this respect as
chairman of a select committee OF the senate
In 1883, 10 whom was referred memorial from
the Memphis convention, made an elaborate
report, from which take the following ex-
tract:
Your committee will:next proceed to con-
slider mat portion Of the memorial which re-
lates to the communication by railroad be-
tween the valley of the Mississippi and the
southern Atlantic states. They regard works
of the kind aS beIon0ino 10 Internal in,nrova
ments, that is, improvements within the
body of the states), and as such are, i'm their
opinion, not embraced in the power to regu-
late commerce. But they are, nevertheless, of
opinion that where such roads or other works
of internal improvement may pass through
public lands, the United States may contribute
TO their construction In their character of pro-
prietors, to the extent that they may be en-
HANGED In price thereby. That con-
gress has right 20 make such contributions
where there Is reasonable ground to believe
that the public lands will be enhanced in pro-
pOruOn, unoer us right 10 dispose OF tine ter
ritory and other public property of the United
States, your committee can not doubt. In
making this assertion, tGey lOld to the rule OF
strict construction, and that this power, like
all the other powers OF the government, is a
trust power, and as such is strictly limited by
the nature and object of the trust. In this
case the rule requires that the lands
and other public property Of the United States
should be disposed OF to the best advantage;
and where that can be done by contributing
portion to works which would make the res
tdue equally or more valuable than the whole
would be without 1t, as Is supposed,
they hold II would be strictly within the rule.
opinion not only that congress has the right
to contribute TO the extent stated In such cases,
but that IL Is In duty bound to do so. as the
representative OF q part OF the proprietors OF
the land TO be benefited. IL would be neither
just nor fair for IL to stand by and realize the