The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1883-01-12
NORTHERN PACIFIC LAND GRANT.
Status of Congressional Action ON tho
subject.

WASHINGTON, January 6.-Last June. a
bare majority reported TO the House that
Congress has the right to declare the forfeit
IRE of unpatented lands granted TO the
Northern Pacific Railroad Company. If for
feitdre were necessary TO secure the speedy
completion of the road, 1t might give them
to another company, or sell them and apply
the proceeds provided it were adjudscd
needful. To secure the completion of the road
was, they said, the purpose and intention Of
the act granting the lands, and all conditions
proposed were framed with that end in view.
The United States did not want to recover
its lands; It wanted a great thoroughfare
across the continent, and took every precau-
ton to secure Its completion. Holding these
views, the majority of the committee be-
lieved no legislation would hasten the &C.
complishment of the object. Therefore they
have reported back none of the bills or reso-
lutions that have been referred to them.
About q month later Townsend, McCoid,
Culberson, Hammond, Knott, and Manning
submitted report in which they ably dis.
cussed the questions involved, and concluded
that Congress had the absolute right to de-
clare the title to all unpatented lands in the
grant forfeited to the United States, so the
lands can be restored to the public domain
and opened to sale and settlement; and has
the further right to take any steps chat may
he deemed advisable to secure the speedy
completion of the road. As to the expediency
of declaring the forfeiture, the majority re-
ported the information necessary for the de-
termination Of that question had not been
submitted to the committee, because the ma
jority had decided that Congress had no right
to absolute forfeiture. Knott was displeased
with the position in which the question was
placed by the action Of the majority, and TO
improve the parliamentary situation and pre-
vent the question being smsthered by Reed
and those who followed his leadership in
favoring the Northern Paeif: Company, he
prepared supplemental report, in which he
discussed the expediency of declaring the
forfeiture of the uEpatented lands granted TO
that company, and then offered a joint reso-
luton formally declaring the forfeiture. This
resolution of forfeiture was concurred in by
Townsend, Payson, Hammond, Culbersor,
and Manning, six members of the committee,
and an effort was made to have it placed on
the calendar in the House, so in due course
and acted upon. This was resisted by Reed,
and by the rulings of Speaker Kefer the
question was buried, So far as Reed and his
colleagues could do it. The fact that lead
ing Republicans like Payson and Reed held
opposite opinions on the question of forfeit
ure of these grants, and the recent activity
of Payson in reopening the controversy, has
led to the impression in the public mind
that the difficulty In bringing the question to
an issue before the House was merely disa-
greement among the Republican members OF
the committee, in which the Democrats are
entirely passive. The facts are, q majority
Of the Republican committeeman are com.
nitted to the opinion that the United States
has not the right to declare the forfeiture OF
lands, notwithstanding the breach Of condi-
tions upon which they were granted. Seven
| of the fifteen members Of the committee, five
Democrats and two Republicans, dissented
| from this view, and one Democrat Is not fully
committed either for or against forfeiture.
Payson, Culberson, Townsend, and Knott
are anxious to have the whole question re-
vived, so as to secure If possible some def
mite action by the committee of the House
before the close Of the session. To this end
Knott asked the committee to take up his
resolution a. the committee meeting. Reed
objected to reopening the question, and will
doubtless do what he can to prevent the
Knott resolution from being reported and
placed on the calendar, but the tone of the
discussion In the committee was encouraging
to its advocates, and the matter will be
pressed upon the committee at the next op.
portunity. Townsend and Paysoa are
pleased with the prospect, and other mem.
bers of the committee think the House
would be inclined to adop: the resolution OF
forfeiture If it could be gotten out of the
committee.
|