Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-07-04


a. sayits1, "re- r. e. the railroad c7sn
oasyJ @eonee5e the right Of the Gsvesn
asen. 20 dispose Of the land 20 build TIE
rad. bat xs do not re5oznIzs ths right
~ the G. vsrnaert 70 use the Land for
usy - .sr paroo-e" This - the pnss
IA % 9bJch the Company has only
-~eafly be~a drIvsn. FgrsLeriy l. per-
:. ] IN .s-.er:inQ the s5-oi1ts iBpss-
.s-Hisly of is.sliissinz ia alleged title
~ {; rey~s-ion4i assbou-
II the g 5vsrnaebt has ths right 10
4 g - at tas lard to build the read,
s4a rtzht certainly cares 18th il a
d.-rresi a - - the nzzn er ia which y
snail - ex.rctei- II Il Be- ds-u~d
bet 10 insure the speedy completion 81
be rad. th-t al un@4rn-d lands be r.
s.or d 70 TIE S15ise dosnsIn and be
lhrosn op~n to hJsest cccupa'ion- q l.
certainly within TIE pp1~r IT tb- Gov
ernnens. ~ sdmitt.d bS NJ. Ozks-, TO
take s1cn action. There Il. aos~ver, ns'
further need OF di-cus-ing the legal
pyzer Of theCovernmeut IN this nsttsr.
Cors mitt1es f. bath II asses Of Congress
agree apon this qa-stiOn. and It - no
longer an issue. Bat II it we're still
.llvs, she manner ia which Congress
sho1ld dispose Of The lands 10 oumpietr
the rod, eoeld NOT legally be question
ed By ths Northern Pacific That com
pany forfeited al its rights spdsr the
gransisg act BY faiinre TO perform the
c,ndIfions Thereof, and certainly can
not b allowed 20 take advantage Of lis
own vroa0 by COMPELLING ConEr-ss N
finish acousrxctwhich the company itself
had failed 10 perform. 10 has mother
legal right nor interest," in any land not
earned undsf the farms Of the eYanfirR
act. The lands vefe, according b, tie
present theory Of that eompany. ''csds-
Gated 20 the construction Of Q railroad
not dediost~d 20 the company itssIf,
which Vas merely given . prior priyil-
egs OF earning than under certain con-
ditions. shat hsvs nos b~sn performed.
Il has therefore no moro tisis 10 lands
unssrned than any other sisis~n. This
IL legal - yell - logical dedustson-
Mr.. Oakss furthsrmors IN the same
interview stuisines himself and shows
his ienesanos of the orRasis ssioa Of
tine Uaitsd States Gsvsrumsns by Do
clzring that ''shs 0overnnsut accepted
the rad finished after tbs time spssi6ed
In the grant, and made no objeesioo 10
the naaaesrs Of tas road going on and
a1ishina it." This 10 nos true.
The G,vssnnent has newer accepted
Q rod of railroad sines the date hxed By
lao for It's oomp,sti,a- Ths Presidsns
has accepted over 1890 miles Of railroad
sincs that time; bus this 0,,vesnnent ID
nos . dssposism, and shs President b
not the Govsrnnsnt. He 10 an oflicial
Of the 0overnmsns with only such
possrs 10 are vssssd in him BY shs Con-
ssisusiou and TIE lava Neither tAs
Constitution OF the Unissd ssasss, NOS
any las thereof, smpovrssd him 10 ar
tsnd the nms fos eo0plesiou Of the
Northern Pac,ne Railroad, nor 10 10
ospt q nsils of ~ road aniess conssRuot-
ed so-ordipg 10 laW. Not Q mile Of that
road has bssn % eonstrocssd sinss yu.y
4sh. 1871. rhs power Of the President
70 band the @ ,vssnmsnt By aeees tln0
ssesisns Of raj road oails By the North.
srn PAcifie expired by limltation On thu
date fixed for its eonplssioo, snd could
nos b revived sxosvs BY afhrmativs
legislation by G ,narssA II 70 b true,
- decided, that is Requires affirmative
aesioa 10 restore thsss tsnds 10 ths poo
no domssn. is 10 "a ally srus thst sinr
lar lse,slasioa vss nssssDssy 20 extend
shs provtssons Of the original aes, whson
Gas attempted In secspsiae sections oi
read sonssraossd sfssf the tine for IL
csrn vlstion had expired.
The facs thai the 9svsRnmsus mads
no objsosssn - tbs continuance al sork
euss no legal figure vhassvsF. N, esti.
ssn can sahs advantage Of tbs g vefn
nens because Of iss dslay in aassrtins
irs ls9sl sahss; nor can Q tssspamsr 40
quirs prsseripsivs rights sRainss tn
soversisn- This 10 % yell established
- 10 ned no argunenk Ths fart that
the 0overum~ns mads no protest.
aesinss sAs prosecution OF york by ths
Norshsrn Pscine gives that company ns
afaurasivs right: isesssAinly could no
opsssss 10 ansna an Aos Of Con. re-.
~ exssndine in p-ovisionS. The hahn
10 aboard ID 10 liks plsAdins the ''hsb,
acs
II tbs Nssshsrn Paci1c Railroad Con.
psny hu any elaim 10 laEda for a.
building Of iss road AFR Jaiy 4 1871
u mus - bsssd on alleged and assums<
equities IN the ease. A 10 thssp. M
baiaacs 10 hsavily in favor % uneondi
tsonai forfsssars.
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