Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1883-01-26
| H + EN- I | N + l.
ROCKVILLE, MD.
Friday Morning january 26, 1888.
THE LAND GRABS.

The total amount of valuable property,
representing some of the most fertile terri.
tory in the world, which has been distributed
with reckless dishonesty among score and
more of railroad corporations, is estimated
at 100,O00,O00 acres.
Only few days ago sample land swim
die was exposed in connection with the
secret and corrupt sale by the mythical
backbone railroad OF Louisiana TO the New
Orleans Pacific of 1,492,O00 acres, which
the former concern claimed from the gov
eminent upon q grant conditionally made
in 1871. The conditions of construction,
one of which was that the road should be
completed within five years, has not been
observed and therefore the grant lapsed in
1875. Nevertheless the sale was made in
spite of proof ofcorrupt considerations given
for the original grant; the transfer by an
extinct corporation of public land which
il never possessed is regarded by the Attor-
ney-General as complete, and nothing but
member OF the Judiciary Committee of the
House stands between the people and this
outrage
This is but sample. The remainder of
the enormous territory Is virtually held by
the corporations. 1t has been decided that
50 far as the greater portion Of it lie con.
cerned, before Its forfeiture for non.fulfll-
ment of contract, back again to the people
who constitutionally surrendered it is per-
feet, an act of Congress is necessary to de-
clare that forfeiture. 1t will be seen by the
proceedings Of the House that the matter
has been taken from the Pacific Railroad
Committee and given TO that on the Judi
ciary. This was done at the beginning of
the present session in a sort Of blind hope
that the case would be more fairly treated.
But it would appear that the people in their
contest with the corporations are no better
off in one committee than in another. Mr..
Knott, of Kentucky, made motion in the
committee to report recommendation that
these unacquired lands claimed by the
Northern Pacific be declared forfeited and
grants revoked, on the ground Of violation
of contract. No pretense was made that
the conditions had been complied with,
but at the instance of Mr.. Reed, OF Maine,
(the fat boy the proposition was indefinitely
postponed by vote 9 TO 5-those in the
negative were Democratic, with the excep-
ton of Mr.. Payson, who halls from Louis
lana.
1t is not surprising that such bold and
impudent treatment of the public demand
for action and redress, affronting though it
may be the sense and dignity OF the people,
should emanate from committee which had
been constructed by Robson, of New Jersey,
and Speaker Keller, Of Ohio. The former
has been repeatedly branded ON the floor of
the House as q thief and u liar, whilst the
latter has had thrown in his teeth the asser-
ton that he was the tool and servant Of the
former.
The majority of the committee who voted
to defer any action upon this matter of vast
have taken. the ground that
their action for so deferring was from the
fact that they had not the time to give to
the consideration of such II question. We re-
,bcuiber to have read that it was woman
who said TO Philip Of Macedon, "if you have
not the time to listen to justice you have no
rightto be King" And it may be said of these
potential representatives, that If they cannot
find time to attend to the consideration of
the public interests, they should at once
step down and out.