The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1880-03-19

nopoly benefits only the monopolist. Hence
if Congress is leglslating for the benefit OF
OF the people 1t should either establish rates
for the monopoly or encourage compeu-
ton. Again, If the object is to encourage
an enterprise that will the more rapidly de-
velop undeveloped domain IL il evident one
road across half the cvntinent is inadequate
10 the pnIprse., A h'dy Of country lo9O
miles norm and south requires more than
one east and west railroad. In England 1t
Is demonstrated body o. land ~ miles
wide on either side aft frds sufficient traffic
aad uavel to support road. American
humanity worthy of this part Of the Nine
tenth Century Is not satisfied with rail-
road 500 or 1000 miles away. 1t is the
means OF transit that belongs to the Age
and is especially demanded where valuable
minerals abound as on the line of the
Northern Pacific. The Northern Pacific
has become, also, military necessity 10 u
double point of view-as an American line
parallel to the Canadian Pacific and as a
suppressor of Indian hostilities. The rapid
and economic transit Of troops and supplies,
the establishment of strong settlements, the
destruction OF game and timber are all ele-
ments in the solution Of the Indian prob
lem. These are considerations that had
and have weight iu the question Of govern
meut aid to the Northern Pacific.
The failure OF the boldest and most sue
cessful tinancier the War developed, who
was at tue head Of and personally con-
trolad the Northern Pacific Company.
stopped construction when it was proceed
ing rapidly. The general depression that
followed; the reaction against railroad in
vestments; the adruirly managed hostility
to this particular enterprise was our mis-
fortune, not it's fault. w do not say its
misfortune, because its completion ,der
the extravagance, and We fear corruption,
which characterized it would, sooner or la
ter, have resulted in the bankruptcy of the
Company ami its transfer to other hands.
Ii can now be built, even with the enor-
mously Increased cost OF iron FOR one-hali
it vas being built for then. In speaking
Of the Northern Pacific here we speak OF
| the Road. IL matters not to Montana
whether Frederick Billings or Sidney Dill.
Ion is President Of it. We divorce the per.
sonnet from the project I; the latter is to
Us important, the former upimportant save
| in the matter that it shall have the ability
and will to speedily construct the Road
For years the project, so far as completion
was concerned, lay dormant. Within the
past year there has been revivi6cation. II
has not been ostsntatious; IL has been en-.
ergetic. The Road is being built from the
East and from the West. Its earnings are
being expended in pushing it westward to.
ward us over the most desolate, worthle 81
country it traverses. In the West it Is &C.
quiring lands the proceeds Of which will
be exhausted in reaching settled Montana
| from thai direction. Economy has dis
placed extravagance; energy succeeds in.
ertness; determination follows on despair
We can begin to calculate. in years, when
| it will be completed. At this moment
comes the tidIngs that Congressional Com.
mittees are hostile; that there are doubts
| of the extension of the charter-at least to
the present Company. The Road will not
be built for many year If government aid
natiosal enterprises that all liberal govern.
ments encourage and which would other.
wise not be undertaken.
What does the Government lose by this
grant? Nothing. 1t has two acres Of
ground valued at 81 % each. It gives one
acre TO the Company for building a road to
the other and charges SO 80 for the acre &c
benefited. What does the purchaser lose
Nothing. One acre with railroad is worth
two without one. The trouble and the
great evil to Montana has been that we
are charged 50 so for the reserved acre,
that we cannot buy the charter acre at any
price, and that the railroad " cometh not. "
The man who paid $3.50 tor his acre ID
swindled; the man who wishes the charter
acre is swindled, and Montana that has de.
pended for 10 or Is years on the coming Of
that road would like 10 know where the
benefit is.
But all this may be remedied now. The
charter is about to expire. Congress has
it in its power to adjus5 the matter. The
Northern Pacific Company can determine as
well in 1880 rs any time hereafter where 1t
will locate it's road. require it to do that
and If the original location II deyiated from
throw the lands on that line open TO occu.
pancy and restore half the money to those
from whom 81. so per acre was obtained by
false pretenses. he Company can build
the road in three years as readily as in
thirty. They have led us to believe that
require them TO do it. IL the Company Is
to be permitted to dawdle along FOR de-
cadp or two building few miles Of road
every few years, aud holding the lands in.
definitely on line it will finally abandon.
we prefer to see the charter forfeited aud
lock to the Improvement of the river for
competition to the Utah & Northern. Bot
If the Congressional Qua dams OF the Te--
ritories will do justly by us. we can see
where the United States, the Territories
and the Com pauy may be benefited by an
extension OF the Northern Pacific charter.
| We know nothing in detail Of the Texas
Pacific scheme, or what claims il has upon
Congress 20. public aid. We might ask
the Northern Pacific to be considered in
dependently of it, but If that il not the way
of congressman, tuat at least an enterprise
demanding Immediate legislation shall not
be DESTROYED because another IS not pre-
pared TO submit It's claims. These Samsoas
Of the Sonta may throw down the pillars;
but their fabric will fall with ours. II
they are wise they may benefit all.