The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-06-04

there the monopely principles OTIS state,
which lie practice to an extent hitherto
nnknoNn. He paompfed me po4sm. re,
afivocatcd railroad interests in HIS official
letters and circulars far more pctently
than these corporation-pa paid attorneys ever
thought of doing or were able to do. Ev-1
erybedy was surprised when ssGrapger
Kirkwood's name was sent to the senate rs
secretary of the interior, except the rail
road agents, who no doubt promoted the
nomination. This ancient patroit had
gained some notorlety as a granger in
Iowa, but through what agency or effort
he could properly be called one, in fact
no Iowa man can possibly define, One
of the first of his Official acts after
confirmation was to secure the appoint
ment of one Hiram Price, of Iowa, an
ex-president of the Davenport & st. Paul
railroad company, commissioner of Indian
affairs. Kirkwood took great credit to
himself for this appointment, and indicated
to friend of ours that ssTIiram" was a.
noble man and would look after the well
fare eff the .'red men," Kirkwood failed to
give all of .'Hirams' antecedents, that he
was an exr president of railroad company,
and that he is the alleged father-in- law OF
ex-Judge Dillon, who resigned o seat en-
the United States district court bench to
sbecome the legal, permanent and confiden,
tial advisor of one Jay Gould, who is
somewhat known in railroad matters.
Jay Gould is largely interested in the
Northern Pacific railroad and in the At
lantic & Pacific railroad, both of which
roads claim land grants through certain
Indian reservations, as also the right
of way through the same. 1t is
4J,o4 -1ox
ex-Judge Dillon, jay Gould'ss attorney, is
director and stakeholder in these roads.
Both roads are seeking right of way and
land grant subsidies out of the Indian
reservations. From every indication Hi
ram was the right man to select for the
posstige interests of the railroads, but a
poor stick to guard the Indians interest.
The interior department under the Schurz
and lakewood administrations has become
little less than a. railroad headquarters
Department clerks are continually employed
in the interest of the railroads. The com-
missioner Terminates bills for the title to
lands especially set apart for the Indians,
and not only recommends the extingulsh
ment of the title for road way. but ad-
vises THAT the United States should ex-
with public policy ii. Q. railroad
policye and the welfare of the
Indians titles to- all lands
falling under the operations OF this act.
and acquired in the donation to the road. "
In Consideration of the factthag these roads
have forfeited all right to a1ag public land,
and that they never acquire any rights to
lands embodied in the Indian reservations,
the language used by Granger" Kifkwood
and Hiram" both high officials of the
government. sounds more like the plead
ings of retained attorney than anything
else. .. Kirkwood, Hiram" Price, ex-
Judge Dillon and ex-Secretary Be1knap are
from Iowa and they may each be Chased
as railroad attorneys. Does the Northern.
Pacific railroad pay Hiram" TO draft bills
in its interest? Has Hiram" no,
other business to occupy his mind but
drafting bills for railroad companies?
These important questions should be in
vestigated by the secretary of the interior.
"Pnblic policy" would dictate IS that
.tHiram's' services are not worth as much
to the government and the indians as to
the railroads, and this inference, being 80
broad and Indicative leads us to remark
that Lis public service should terminate
at the earliest moment. The time is APP
preaching slowly, to be sure, when rail-
road aggrandizements and government.
officials will have to answer for sequestra-
tloh Oh property anu hauuS CoiuHLttSo "
them. We are not through with this sub
ject, momentous as it is, and the packed
commission sent out from the inside of the
department to go through a glitter-farce
of treating with the Grow Indians
for their lands. In future issue we shall
invite sfHlrams" atteRtion to certain tran
sactions in the Indian territory. and in
quire how Keokuk spectators in cattle
have special licenses to herd tens of thous-
ands of cattle upon the Indians grazing
ranges in the Indian territefy, and how it
is that one Hood, from the state of Kansas,
commands such privileges and trading
license outside of any agency?