The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1880-05-29
HON. Is. +. MARTIN VS.. SUBSI-
DIES.
From the Randolph Enterprisel

From the Randolph En,erprise]
The Hon. BENJAMIN +. Martin has
been assaulted at home for his opposi-
ton TO subsidies and for the intro
duction of a resolution in the House
demanding the lands granted to rail
roads which have been forfeited by
them through noncompliance with
the conditions of the grants, shall be
returned to the Government. There
have been no acts in the public ca
reers Of any men in the past history
of the country that entitle them to
greater public commentator than
those of Mr., Martin above referred
to, and which are insidiously con-
demned by aspirants for his position.
The attack emanates from friends of
the Texas Pacific subsidies, and pro-
ceeds on the false assumption that it
is road being constructed to sub
serve and develop Southern interests,
while the truth is that corporations
having their headquarters in New
York, owning and controlling great
and continues lines of railroads to
st. Louis, and from st. Louis west of
the Mississippi river, and the States
of the South to Fort Worth in Tex
as, are to be the real beneficiaries.
They own and control the Texas Pa
cific Railroad, and their interest is to
consolidate these lines outside and
west of the Southwestern States with
the Texas and Pacific railroad to
make their Northeastern property
more valuable, and build into great
err proportion monopolies that always
endanger the public safety.
The Texas Pacific Railroad is IN
no way Southern enterprise. BY
its construction it runs around the
Southern States via st. Louis and
New York, and its construction with
out competing lines across the same
parallel from the Pacific ocean, would
result in lasting injury to every
Southern State east of the Missis-
sippi river. Nor is this all great
trunk line is now being constructed
by private enterprise from San Fran
cisco to connect with roads running
to New Orleans. Already some l 200
miles of the Southern Pacific has
been completed without MD from the
Government The intent, object and
interest of this road is to build up
the States of the South and to en-
courage and to develop the Southern
railroad interests. They have no
controlling interests in New York,
and will, of necessity, establish a
great railway system across the
Southern States.
The managers Of the Texas d Pa
cific railroad use all the power Of
their giant cooperative monopolies
in New York to embarrass and har-
rass this Southern enterprise, built
by private capital, and are at the
same time demanding Southern sup
port to secure Government aid for the
construction of line q thousand
miles away from their doorways. The
man who advocates Texas and Pa
cific schemes is an enemy of our sec
ton, and is seeking to embarrass the
only road from the Pacific that really
looks to our benefit.
The resolution introduced by Mr..
Martin, requiring the return to the
Government of lands granted in aid
of railroads, and which have been
forfeited by noncompliance with the
conditions Of their grants, was the
exercise by him Of the very highest
public duty. When the grants were
made inducement to capital for con-
struction was popular and had some
justification. There could be no JUS
LITIGATION for the demands Of the
Texas Pacific railroad now, for pri-
vate capital has constructed a line on
the same parallels.
The failure to legislate to return
these lands to the Government Is
shameful, public outrage, which, if
understood by the people, would sub
ject it's advocates to condemnation
and disgrace. The time has passed
when any respectable member Of
Congress dare to vote away the. pub
lie domain or public treasury in aid
of private monopolies. Every vote
extending their time for construc-
ton is, in legal effect, a new grant Of
land and is as vicious and violative
of the public will as the support Of a
scheme in the interest Of land grab
bers.