Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-06-05

ing the Nearest State to them. I ire
suTned be would look TO their interests.
and no doubt he does; but this road,
running thousand miles or more
through the Territories, pays not dol
lar into the Territorial treasures. Conn.
ties have tried TO get somethinQ from
them, bnt could lot. They claim s.
vO,OOO acres of land, and on not an acre
do they pay taxes.
] say TO my friend from Massachu-
setts, Mr.. Hoarl who Just made a re-
mark which | overheard, that Massa
chusetts stood here one day giving ut
terance TO the same sentiments | am
| utterinR now. When Mass lchusetts
vas here IN the person of Henry Wilson.
speaking Ia 1870, and this Northern Pa
cinc Railroad Company came up to ex-
tort more land from the General Gov
ernDent, he was uttering sentiments
substantially the same as those | am
expressing. know this is considered
a hlgh-toned company. principally be-
cause it is largely managed and much
OF Its stocks aud bonds are owned m
Massachusetts. | am aware If that.
but that Is no reason Why this Northern
Pacific Railroad should not be treated
as every other railroad. Is that a
reason Why there should bs special in
terposition nov, and that this mighty
| organization should not be made to
keep Its hands of for sixtv days
longer?
heard the remark of my friend from
Massachusetts, and il was not weakened
by coming through the Senator from
Kansas Mr. Ingalls,.
was saying that this railroad com
| pany had not paid a dollar of taxes into
the treasures of the States and Terri
tories through which it passes lying
contiguous to my friend from Oregon
for this immense road asd its rolling
stock and it's franchises. do not know
how much its stocks and bonds amount
to, probably x20O.0O0,0 900, yet not a dol
lar does 1t pay into the treasures of
the States and Territories through which
1t passes
This railroad company in 1879 said to
the settler. the pioneer, that all the
lands west OF the Missouri River should
be sold for $500 an acre. My friend
will admit that.
| Mr.. DolpL-I decline to be catechised
on this question. If the debate is to
run at length, and | can be heard on
any proposition that am called out on,
/ shall be glad to give my views; but |
| propose to stop now. i do not con-
slider myself the champion of the mo-
| ton to refer this resolution or as partic-
| nlarly opposing the resolution. | did
not make the motion; | merely rose ln-
cidentally to make a statement of facts
In regard to it. decline to answer any
further questions. have some inform
alton on the subject, but do not care
to prolong the debate by being cate
ohiZed III this way.
| MIR. Van Wyck-Phat il entirely salts
factory. Then | will ask the Senator
from Michigan, who does oppose the
resolution, If II Is not the fact that In
| 1879 the Northern Pacific Railroad Com
pany, by ITS directors, passed resola-
tion telling the pioneers and settlers west
| of the Missouri river tnat they could take
the land at $500 an acre?
| ask If in 1879 the Northern Pacific
Railroad Company did not encourage
immigration into the country near their
line by resolving that the price for land
WI st of the Missouri should be $3.50 an
acrs, and | receive No information on
that point. Their road was extended,
and then they turned around and said
the lands should be paid for at $5 or
$40 au acre. | am merely showing the
character of this high toned road that
gentlemen think no question IL to be
| made about.
1 regret that the Senator from Massa-
ehusetts is not at tkis moment in his
seat. stated to him that | was about
giving uttsrance ON this floor to what a
Senator from Massachusetts, once boldly
sta ed In 1870, and IL his arguments
were cogent then, they are SO now.
Henry Wilson, when taese gentlemen
were erasping out for more land IN 1870,
- A a Ftxw.. h.a
that this land should be sold at 81 go an
acre. They questioned his loyalty 10
the granting of la ldi for building rail
roads, and. after ho protested on that,
he said
Now, sir. choose To commence right
here ON railroad IN which the people
| of my State aud my section of the coun-
try have deeper interest than any 9th
er, and to apply this policy, AZ far as !
am concerned. To this road, and then
continue II to all other roads that are
here asking for the public lands. | be
| lieve IL to be in the interest ot the ooun-
try as "A whole, in the interest," especially
| of the toiling men of the country, of
| the landless men of the country, the ac-
| tual settlers on the public lands; aud il
| ia not hostile To the real interests of the
| RAILWAYS themselves. But, sir, that il
she last consideration with me ia regard
to all these matters. The railroaa-
have governed Legislative bodies quite
| too much.
"Ihe railroads have governed legis!a
| tive bodies quite too sluoh. hope the
day IL far distant when they will have
any voice in the Congress OF the United
States 10 affect our legislation or to
direct the policy of this Government.
1 h. att ~ 1
choose for one TO meet It. And If there
are agents in this Chamber now or at
any other time, or about the Chsmber,
or in the galleries, or In the Capitol,
or in the city, interested in these mat
ters. | choose for one not TO be die
tated to by then, nor to have them come
here undertaking 10 influence or 10 di'
rect our action.
IL choose for one In this matter to
exercise my own Judgment. | have ex-
amined this question. am member
of the Committee ON the Pacific Rail
roads. have seen something of the
pressure to obtain these lands, as | saw
last wear something of the pressure TO
make n combination of seven great rail
vay schemes to obtain guarantee of
kg5O. co.. COO of interest to railroads.
had something To do with defeating that
preisct. SIR, 1 hope ~ live to see the
time when We will grant our lands Go
build railways; when Nc will do it with
care: when We will so do 1t that railroads
will not hold great masses OF the public
domain and control them, or hold them
for speculative purposes against settlers
or against the interests of the labor
inc men aud the laRdless men OF this
country. | believe that to be sound
policy, which should be adhered to,
whether railways asking assistance here
like is or not. care a vast deal more
for the interests of the country and the
interests of the toiling men OF the ooun-
,ry than | do for the interests or the
complaints of the men who are asking
for public favors.
The position of Massachusetts, IN 1870
ia ths position am trying To uphold IN
regard to this matter. Henry Wilson
| rose above party considerations he rose
aboye home considerations. for then as
now Massachusetts, was interested III
this road to a very great extent. henry
Wilson then rose above all such oonsid-
4 a "A ta1S for -