Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-03-06

Austin.
Relating to the Pennsylvania Union Elev.-
tor company.
THE SWAMP LAND BILL.
Senator G. D. Gilfllan, from the committee
on railroads, to whom was referred certain bills
granting swamp lands in aid of railroads and
for other purposes, reporteeDp substitute grant
ing swamp lands to the State institutions, to
various railroads, and in aid Of other public
improvements, and the rules were suspended
and the bill was read a secoGd and third time.
Senator Wheat moved to amend by providing
for grant ct eight sections per mile to the
Southern Minnesota railroad for certain extern
sions. Ruled to be out of order.
Senator J. B. Gilfllan said that when in the
course Of the events of q great and growing
State, like tho State of Minnesota, should 80
far depart from established rules as to hatch
up such stupendous scheme as this, decent
respect for ourselves demands that the man.
| ayers of the measure make known their inten-
tions. The mountain had labored, aud whether
it had brought forth mouse or an elephant he
did not know, but he thought the latter
Senator Bonniwell asked, if this was beneath
the dignity of the Senate, why, last winter, he
introduced q bill to dispose of all these lands.
Senator G. D. Gilfllan asked why he had in
trodnced a bill this session to appropriate
900, 900 acres of these lands.
Senator J. B. Gilfllan said that his bill was
for the purpose of transferring trust. He
protested against this undue haste, and trusted
| further consideration of the bill would be de-
| ferred until tomorrow.
Senator Powers said lie could not talk on the
bill. His brain seemed paralyzed and his
| tongue seemed to cleave to the roof Of his
mouth. he had waited for some one to protest
| against this stupendous steal. This steal
| was one by the side of which
the stesl at Saltwater sank into insignifcance,
and the men whdFadvocated this steal would
return to their constituents to.be damned to
| tho lowest depths of infamy. The people had
not been consulted in regard to. this matter,
and there had been efforts made to place these
! lands beyond the reach of this kind of steals.
| He only wished that he had Cromwell here to
prorogue this Senate before such an infamy
could be cOnsummated.
Senator r. M. Wilson said the paralyzed Sen
ator had become wonderfully excited. The
| policy of grants of lands to railroads was no
| new thing, and such grants had been the saliva
ton of the State. Here was a lot of swamp
lands granted for the purpose Of internal i'm
| provements. Railroads had already been built
| in tho State by grants of tsiGse lands. The
| question for us to determine was whether we
should further develop the railroad system and
thus cheaper the means of getting produce to
| market or to leave them as they are. This was
| proper way to dispose of these lands, and was
as justifable as to convert them into road
| and bridge fund. It did not become the par
| alyzed Senator to denounce this matter as a
| steal. The men who vote for this bill are of
as high character as the paralyzed Senator
| or any other Senator On the floor. If he re-
| 1nembered rightly he had denounced the postal
| put the money in his pocket.
Senator Hill did not propose to denounce
! the Senators for differing from him. He was
opposed t., the bill because he did not think it
| was strictly what it purported to be. Some
counties had not been included in this grand
| istr AM ho fhofx
| and of the reason for this omission he forebore
to speak. He denounced the manner in
| which the bill had been in
| troduced, and said that he sup
posed there was two-thirds majority
to pass the bill in both houses. but if the
| Governor placed his name to the bill he would
| never sit in the gubernatorial chair third
| term. This is a scheme to take six or seven
| millions of acres of land to build railroads to
further grind the people by their extortions.
| As a citizen and as Senator he protested
against the appropriating these lands for the
further building up of corporations.
Sen ator Page said he had in the first of the
session introduced bill to protect these lands.
This grand scheme is against the interests of
the people, but the cupidity Of the lobby and
the combination of corporations was too strong
for them, but the people would rise in their
might to protest against this thing. He called
upon Senators to do their duty, and entered
his protest against the bill.
Senator Kinds said it was only recently that
he had learned what these lands were donated
to the State for. They were donated for the
reclaiming of overlooked lands. Many of these
lands had been disposed Of to corporations and
had gone into the hands of settlers. What are
left of them were situated in the northern por-
tions of the State where they were not avail
able for settlement. A few days ago he had
introduced q bill to devote some Of these lands
to the Reclamation of lands in his county, and
his constituents sanctioned bis course. If
these lands were not to be devoted to draining
Overfowed lands he did not know what they
should be used for. This was not far from being
loca! bill. almost every county in the State
receiving some of its benefits. The legislature
had greatly cut down the amount of lands
asked for by his county, but small favors were
thankfully received, and he should vote for the
bill. He was willing to parcel out these lands
to the State institutions, which would be APP
plying them to the benefit OF the State at large
as nearly they could be disposed of in any
way.
Senator J. B. Gilfllan moved that the Senate
Senator E. M. Wilson moved to correct
clerical error in the bill, which was stoutly
contested by Senator j. 3. Gilfillan, and his
point of order was sustained by the chair.
Senator Thatcher reviewed at some length
the history OF land graft railroads in the State,
and the proposition of Senator Page to devote
the State lands to the building of roads and
bridges, and said it was not p steal. The
scheme might not be q wise one, but the
orignators Of the bill had succeeded in making
a very good divide, giving certain seotious
facilities for getting railroads that they would
not otherwise have had. When the final vote
was to be taken, however, he should vote as his
judgment dictated.
Senator Castle made q speech in which he
reviewed the benefits conferred upon the
people of the State by railroads, and COM
pared the condition of Minnesota with that
Of the province of Manitoba, which owes its
lack of development to the wantsof railroads
He reviewed the purposes to which the bill ap-
propriated these lands and showed that all
were worthy and legitimate Objects and said
this was as good a bill al the one which de.
voted money to grasshopper sufferers. He said
as many people asked for the division as for the
passage of any of the bills of general interest
introduced into the legislature this winter. He
should vote for the bill cheerfully.
Senator E. M. Wilson moved the previous
question, and the roll being called there we're
ayes %; nays IA, as follows:
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