Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1878-01-24

THERE is, we think, a strong probability
that the present Congress will extend the
time for the completion of the Northern Pa
ciic Railroad for another decade, at least.
The promises of the company to the House
Committee are all that could be expected
under the circumstances F; we think 1t is wis
dom, OH the part of the company not to
promise more than they can reasonably hope
TO accomplish, apd'shouId- Congress accede
to their wishes We see no reason why they
may not carry out their pledges 10 the very
letter. They are men of, wealth, have good
financial ability, and are us noted for their
Integrity as railroad men generally are.
Their failure to fulfill their promises in the
past is, we think, due to the many unforeseen
obstacles they have had to encounter rather
than their indisposition to carry them out in
good faith.
When Jay Cooke was in his glory, the
press everywhere was loud in his praise. 1t
regarded him as the greatest of bankers, and
his road-as the N. r. was termed-the
greatest enterprise, ever undertaken /; the
land grant was proclaimed the richest and
most fertile belt on earth. When Cooke
had failed, how quick the opinion changed.
The company and its leader were a failure
aud a fraud, and the magnificent land grant
was suddenly transformed from a paradise
into a barren waste, an alkaline desert, a
bowling wilderness, swcpteby, boreal winds
and uninhabitable by man. The project
had fallen Hat, and while down everybody
was ready to give 1t a kick. Rival lines
eagerly grasped the opportunity to pile their
maledictions upon the company and coun-
try, and the overthrow,wa s SO complete that
the only wonder is that it ever recovered
from the shock. A few, chung to their EN-
terprise, reorganized the company. and set
1t upon a business basis again. The COM
pleted portion Of the road has been success
fully operated, and the country through
which it passed developed until its com
merce has forced an admission of the, fact
that it is neither a desert nor a wilderness,
but a fertile and productive region, and one
that boasts OF the largest and most produc-
tive farms in the world. The profits from
the traffic OH the road, and the revenue from
the sales of land, render it within the power
of the company to push the road forward at
the rate they propose.
We look upon the land grant as an un-
wise piece Of legislation. 1t paralyzed the
progress OF the country throughout, the rail-
road belt of. our Territory, and placed an
onerous burden upon our people. 1t is not
a gift from the nation, but, by the doubling
of the price Of government lands, and the
reduction OF the presumption and homestead
rights one-half, it is a subsidy which those
who live along. the line must pay. We
would be glad to see the government take
back the land grant and tissue guaranteed
bonds. 1t would insure a more rapid COM
pletion' of the road, and the burden would
fall alike upon the shoulders of the entire
nation, and not alone upon those who live
OF, may settle along the line of the. road-a
class. who are generally poor and lily able to
give such a subsidy. The interests Of the
general government demand the roadvde-
mand tat once-and the whole people, who
are to receive the benefit, should share the
burden,,. But, if a continuation of the land
grant is the. only means by which the road
can be-secufed, it would be far preferable to
seeing the, project fall to the ground.
WI are glad to note the interest manifest
ed by the people of Bitter Root and Missou-
III, i the wagon road towards. .Bannack.