The Evening critic., 1882-05-19
The Lapsed Land Grants.

The Secretary of the Interior, Mr.. Kirkwood,
in answer TO u resolution OF the House of Rep
resentatives, has submitted report on the
land grants TO the great Western railroads,
and these are the material facts
Congress granted to seven corporations over
10000 square miles OF territory 10 build GER
tain railroads, or about 115,500,000 acres of
valuable land, the condition being the COM
plction of those roads. These grants cover an
area larger than Maine, New Hampshire, Ver
mont, Massach usetts, Rhode Island, Connectl-
cut, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and
Maryland.
They were distributed as follows:
Atlantic & Pacific. .......,..... 10000, $50 acres
Texas Iacinc. ;.'.'..'''''''''i ia,SO9, aoO acres
Northern Pacific. .....,....... 1S,275,o40 acres
oregon branch, Central Pacific 2,126,526 acres
Oregon California. 3,IO1,T6O acres
Southern Pacific. ic..........,... 5,511, ,264 acres
New orleans Pacific .....,,.. 9O3, ,21S acres
Before the expiration of the time named in
the granting acts, these corporations earned
actually 1865, 1876 acres. Applying the same
pro rata principle, they have earned since the
time fixed for completing the roads, Ii, ,261,.
311 acres-in all 32,S76,S14 acres. There re-
main in round numbers over S2,500,000
acres, not yet earned, but claimed by the
seven corporations, and withheld from settle
ment.
Upon the basis of I6O-acre homesteads pro-
vided by law for settlers these lapsed grants
would give homes to nearly three millions Of
people, allowing tho general average OF flve
TO family. AT the minimum price lxed by
the corporations, the lands would be worth
over s2C9,000,00O.
Certainly these facts are worthy OF the
gravest consideration by Congress. The best
public lands are diminishing rapidly under
policy which may have been wise at the start,
but which has put great empire in the
hands of few corporations.
The question now is, What Will Congress do
with these lands Shall they revert to the
Government by right OF unfulnlled contracts
Or shall they be confirmed in the corpora
tions, as is claimed on their behalf, by reason
OF adverse circumstances, which prevented
the completion of the roads :? There are sew
eral phases of these two propositions, involv-
ing contested points and legal controversy.
But, divested OF eXtraneouS matter, they pre-
| sent the practical issue between the Govern
ment on one side and the contending corpora
| tions on the other side.
| To ten States, viz, Mississippi, Alabama,
| Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri MIichi
gan, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota, about
| 21,5O0OOO acres were granted to build rail
| roads. They earned before the expiration of
| the time for completing the roads 1O,S00,O95
| acres. After that time they earned 6, 106, ITO
| acres. In other words, putting the States on
| the equitable footing allowed to the corpora
tions, they earned 100000 acres OF the
total grants, or nearly six-sevenths, while the
| corporations nave only earned something
| more than one-fourth Of their aggregate.
| The Judiciary Committee of the House of
Representatives has been considering this
subject for several months. 1t has moved
| slowly thus far, and 1t is not likely to move
| much faster. When one or two hundred mil
| lions are at stake In legislation, and the bulk
| of this great moneyed interest is conce ntrared
in thehands of three or four powerful corpora
| tions, tie average member OF Congress is
| very upI 10 puube DeIOre ne reaches con-
| cluslon. He wants TO hear all sides. He
makes no rash committals. He is open to con-
viction. He makes haste very carefully.
| Tho testimony OF the Credit Mobilier states
| men shows how prudent they were IN all that
| business. They took no scrip in their own
| names, and had no transfers made to them.
| They intended TO be In a position to swear to
technical facts. They knew Oakes Ames would
not cheat them, and they accepted him q
| sort Of trustee, who would cover their opera
tions. But these patriots made the serious
mistake, when driven into n corner, of trying
10 make Ames the skapegoat of their corrup-
lion, and the attempt led to their exposure.
| That instruction has not been lost on their
| successors, who will not trust TO the chances
| OF private diaries kept by third parties. They
| have given up Intermediates and do business
directly for themselves. There will be nc
legislation on the lapsed railroad grants al
this session TO affect corporations. Sometimes
the do.nothing policy is even more profitable
than the do-much policy.