The Owosso times., 1882-02-03
DANGEROUS Legislation.

limited, We give place 10 inc ioiiow
ing exceedingly able and instructive
article from the pen of Hon. Charles
V. DeLand, the Editor OF the Herald
at East Saginaw, and trust it may be
carefully read by every person who
sees The TIMES:
There is always need Of very care
full scrutiny of the legislation cast
like a food upon Congress at the
opening of every session, a large per
centage OF which is always bad, and
the success of which depends largely
upon the vigilance and vigor with
which it is supported or denounced
by the press. Thus it seems at the
very assembling of the present Con
gress certain members have applr-
emily made themselves the tools or
agents of movement having hostile
designs on two enormous American
Observation-Disclosures that are Of
national scope and in the direct line
OF our necessary national policy.
The movement is represented by two
bills, one to forfeit the land grant
of the Northern Pacific railroad, the
other to forfeit the grant of the AT
lantic and Pacific line. The immedi
ate effect which such an influence
has on stocks suggests that the pur
pose behind the movement is the
same which underles some stock
gambling scheme on Wall street. II
this surmise is correct the fact may
yet be made to appear. In such
case Congress will be compelled To
expel the members who have idenli-
fed themselves with the scheme by
the introduction of the above bill S,
for no other course Is consistent
with the integrity of the II use
1t is more than probable, however,
that the bills in question really rep
resent lines of road already built,
which fear for their own revenu S
when the two competing lines are
completed. The identity Of thc
Central and the Southern Paciii
companies makes one interest of the
two routes now open 10 the Pacific
coast. They have no competition.
When the Atchison, Topeka x SAINTS
Fe, built by New England capitalists
and the Northern Pacific, built b.
MIR. Wizards party, are finished, two
lines competing with the present
companies, will be open for the agrl-
cultural and bu>iness community
The Union and Central Pacific (two
parts Of one route) were built with
the most lavish assistance from the
government. The spectacle OF their
intriguing in Congress to shut ouI
other investments is not calculated 10
improve their standing, either with
the country or the business public.
In both the cases where It Is pro-
posed to forfeit the land grants the
roads are in process of rapid con
struction. The Atlantic and Pacific
line is beins built by the Atchi,on,
Topeka & Santa Fe, and the Noith
ern Pacific is building It's own line.
Each road opens UP country which
is inaccessible by any other means
In the case of the Northern Pacific,
particularly, the new country added
to that within commercial reach vi
the worlds markets is a great factor
in drawing immlgration, multiplying
the wealth and population OF the
United States. That company relies
largely for its help on working PEG
pie from the north OF Europe, who
are induced to come to America by
the offer of work in building the
new road, with favorable opportuni
ties for settlement after the enter
prise is completed. The original
policy Of the grants demands their
fulfllment, particularly as the invest
ments under them have gone to enor-
nous lengths and in good faith.
and the non-completion of the roads
within the limit set was due to a
commercial revulsion and not TO an,
lack of enterprise or good faith on the
part of the companies which accepted
the undertaking. So far as the origi
nal purpose and principle of the
land grants is concerned, every ques-
ton of public policy demands that
the rights partially earned by the
companies be held inviolate.
But there is still another consider
alton of vital consequence. The
magnificent properties of the Allan
tic & Pacific and Northern Pacific
roads are intertwined with the pros.
perity of the whole country. Their
orders round out the busy period en-.
joyed by the iron industry. The in
dustrial and commercial good of the
country is linked in thousand ways
with the prosperity of the above
roads and staked on their completion
The bill to forfeit the partly earned
grants does not strike at the roads
alone, but at the good times of the
whole country. Let this fact be un-
derstood throughout the length Of
the land, and the knowledge applied
10 every member Of Congress who
supports or encourages the bill to
forfeit the grants.