The daily gazette., 1877-09-19
From the New YORK sun. iiaIt e.nu'aai
HOW THE PUBLIC LANDS AND
e! FUNDS ARE SQUANDEREDi Z

The recent Republican State Conven-
tions nave, by a concerted plan, incorpor-
ated resolution in tt cir platforms de-
ciaring against "any further grants of the
public lands to railroad corporations, and
by that act have assumed a virtue to
which they have no claim whatever.-
Having first stolen the horse, they pro-
fess intense anxiety to lock the stable
door. In Wisconsin they went a step
beyond tue standing declaration, as fol,
lows: 90
Resolued, That the Republican party is III
favor OF an appro priation5i by Congress for
the purpose of assisting, under suitable
regulations, the surplus faboring Men OF
the larger cities and miHlng districts to
settle on the public lands. :"
These platform makers were well
aware for many Of them had participated
inlthe corrupt legislation,l that the bulk
Of the most valuable public lands had
already been granted by Republican
Cougresses, between the. years 1862 and
I 1871, to, the great railroad corporations,
Besides these enormous grants, procured
naihfy by Ring Combinations in and out
fof Congress, th0usahds Of honest settlers
haye been driven from the homes which
! they had created in the wilderness, by
fraudulent constructions of law in the
Interest of the monopolists; and reserva-
tions set aside byltreaty for the Indians
bave been seized byIi force and abso-
lutelyn stolen, with the priyity of
venal officials al Washington TO aggran-
die the wealth Of this powerful combi-
| nation. a. 1Ni oIG o. iC aloY g. w IrG J
The official figures Of grants obta ined
under the, forms of law, without refer
ence to acquisitions, outside the law, are
astounding In the aggregate. An empire
has been-veted- away, larger in area than
Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont,
Massachusetts, Rhode Island. Connec-
ticut, New Yord, New Jersey, Penn
sylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Ohio,
and Indiana, if massed into one vast do
main l'
These arc facts of record officially re-
ported, and cannot be disputed. But this
is not all, by any means. In two years,
between Jlly, 1862, and July, 1864 in
the midst Of f1agrant war, Congress voted
sixty-ive millions of money by bonds
payable in thirty years and bearing six
per cent interest, ,in addition to the lands;
and according to the last report of the
Treasury, the balance of Accumulated a
interest against the roads n exceeded
Itwenty-five millions of dollars. So that
the actual advance to six corporations
from the 1reatury was more than ninety
| millions of dollars in cash. =. .-ifO
1 Another years interest is to be added
to the total from which the Transports
tion of mails, &C., should be deducted,
leaving say three millions more to be
charged against the roads. 1t will be
seen that Ehe money bills for these six
Corporations all passed at the same time.
Substantially, they formed one solid COM
bination, controlled by The same interest
They owned the committees of Con
gress, bought all the votes thai were
needed, and dictated the legislation they
required. -
And now some of the same managers
who figured conspicuously in this mon
strous jobbery are again coming to the
front and demanding money for scheme
resting upon the same sort Of foundation,
Meanwhile, their creatures in Republi-
can Conventions are shouting against
any further land grants and subsidies, as
if the public could be twice cheated by
professional sharpers, with the proofs Of
their robbery to be seen of all men.