St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-08-11
FORFEITED LAND GRANTS.

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Extract from speech Of Jas. A. George, of
Washington, d. c., July 5, 1888, at the Anti-MO-
nopoly conference, Chicago, H.:
Mr.. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN OF
TIE CONFERENCE: Believing that the
conference has desire to do something
that is practical, propose i'll the few
minutes allotted to me to lay before
you some of the facts in relation to the
way land grants for railroad corpora
lions are procured. Ineed not dwell on
the Credit Mobilier scandal, for that is
history. Nor need consume your time
on the Pacific Mail swindle, where that
corporation paid one million in advance
for tue privilege of stealing, under the
cover OF law, five millions. That is also
history. From the facts set forth in
those two in Investigations, as we'll as my
knowledge Of tile secret history OF the
way in which the Texas & Pacific pro-
cured their grant, l am safe in saying
that no railroad land grant, direct to a
corporation, was ever procured, except
by money, bonds and stocks, paid and
promised. We know that this must be
SO from the very nature OF things. Not
many members OF congress will vote for
any such scheme to take from the many
for the benefit of the few, unless he de-
rives some personal benefit direct, or
else he votes for the steal with a prom
Use OF an exchange OF votes for some
scheme of his own. How was the grant
1870 and II |? BY sheer bribery of con-
gress. One Of the lobbyists in that
scheme, who has been left out in di-
vision of the plumber, has told us how
the steal was cDnsummated. He says he
made an approach to the senators to see
what they could be bought for. These
three men, holding seats OF United
States senators, did agree to work for
the bill for and i'll consideration OF
$4,000 in cash and 100000 in bonds,
said bonds to be based on the very land
they were to vote away. These senators
would not take a promise, but required
the money to be placed III advance in
the hands of two men as stake holders
one to be selected by themselves and
the other by the railroad ring. The
proposition was not at once accepted,
and the road tried to force the bill
through without paying. The records
of the senate show that on May 20, 1870,
on motion to consider the bill it was
defeated. On the 29th Of May the prop
osition of the senators was accepted.
On June the money was raised and
deposited, and on June 6, 1870, the rec
ords Of the senate show that the bill
that was defeated May 90 was taken up
on June 6, and considered. Thus does
United States prove conclusiyely that
this lobbyist tells the truth.
What else do we find ? The bill after
passing the senate reached the house
June Goth, 1870. 1t lay on the speakers
table till July 18th, 1870 when Gen.
Schenck moved to suspend the rules and
take it from the speakers table and re-
ferit to the committee on railroads.
Yeas "a. Nays 101. (Gabe, page $685.
Not enough money had been paid you
see, and the bill lay on the speakers
table. Congress adjourned two days
afterHard. Congress meets again Dec.
1870. Bill still on the table. This lob
byist says between January /, 1871, and
January ga contract was made so that
a million of land bonds were to be Civ
en- to the members of the house. What |
Is the sequence ? On February 5, 1871, !
on motion of Mr.. Maynard, the bill was
taken from the speakers table under a
OF the rules and referred to
the committee. Yeas 100, nays 81, not
voting 48. (G,lbe 999.) The bill was
reported back February 81, and passed |
under the whip ct the previous question.
Mr.. Wheeler the chairman allowed !
Of Pennsylvania, ten min
lltes and Buckly OF Alabama, three min
ates to make opposition speeches and |
then eighteen millions Of acres OF public
lands were frittered away. But the bill
was amended by the senate and a com
mittee of conference was asked for.
This was offered, and ON Feb. 90, 1871,
John A. Logan moves to suspend the
Jules and appoint a conference commit
zee. This was carried, the committee
appointed and the bill became a law
March 8, 1871. The Texas Pacific never
quilt the road, nor do they intend to do
10, for on Jan. IS, 1882, Jay Gould as
PRESIDENT OF the road, by a deed that is
low in the department. OF the Interiorj
it Washington. sold the land, never
armed, to the Southern Pacific, Arizona
SeW Mexico and California. Accompa-
lying this deed is a letter under date OF /.
March 90, 1888, to President Arthur
rom Charles F. Croker, president Of
he roads named, asking the president
It the United States to instruct the sec I.
etary of the interior to issue his roads II
'atents for those lands. This would y.
ave been done ere this, it it had not
'een that W. S. R0secrans, of Calif0r-
ia Poindexter Dunn, of Arkansas !;
:. Il. Cobb, of Indiana, members of the
onse, filed a written protest against
he outrage on June 5, 1888. By this
1eans the matter will bt, held up till
ongress meets ia December, when the
hole scheme OF robbery can be defeat
d. if the conference and the people of
he United States will stand by and II
pllotd the hands Of these men in the
ouse, aided and assisted by Senators
I'LL, OF Colorado, and Van Wyck, of
'ebraska. IT this is done, these rep
and senators can move
,rward in the work, feeling that they
ave you behind them, and with such a 1
,rce, they can and will reclaim to you