Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-01-14
The Ter panifn Land Grant.

The Texas Pacific land grant matter
will likely come up before congress TO-
day, II not to-day sometime this week
And when congress takes hold OF the
subject 1t ought TO cling TO IL until dis
posed OF, for good and all. There are
5000. 900 acres Of land involved, and,
az a rule, good lands, suitable some for
farming and some for grazing. The
grant was made when Tom Scott was
J railroad magnet, seemingly the most
powered on the continent. Therecan
be no doubt thai Scott fully intended
to comply with all stipulaiions. Now
comes along the Huntington syndi-
cate, rrii, a1tre Sise Hud Illus Ell with
the prestige Of its achievements. which.
in good sooth, are remarkable, The
Huntington people want these Texas
Pacific lands, and II there Is any virtue
i'm well-organized and strong lobby
they will get them. IL renaius to be
seen if a Democratic house of repre-
sentatives h - tie cOura se 10 say 10
tue tOouy btt tuSc pcAlhu iAt,
etc. 1t will puzzle any man who is
ordinarily intelligent and perfectly
unbiased in this matter to figure Gus
when tn" now the Huntington party
acquired claim. legal or moral, 10 I
the Texas Pacific land grant. Ii Is
true that they have built a railroad .
from the Pacific TO Tux, A nti-, while I
poor Scott and hi co.,. ors failed O. (
build from the Atlantic to the Pacific
Nobody supposes ts,t tie >DGihern
Pacific was pushed eastward simply
with the expectation that the Texas
Pacific would not g. further ves.
than the RIO Grande, and thus the
former road would fill the gap snd
claim the prize the Texas Pacific hai
forfeited. When the Texas Pueitic
was going toward FL Paso st the rate
Of mile TO two miles day the South
ern Pacific was coming east with
equal rapii Tnr huntington party
said then they were going to tide WA
ter ON the Atlantic o. gulf COST - b. ,
out reference to subsidies. They had |
money to build their line and they
would baild it, even IL the Texas &
Pacific went t. the Pacific coast. But .
when the latter road b,fttd in Texas 5
ana the two struck hands near Ell
PaSo, this lain was set up. The
Huntington people have done great j
work, but it does MT follow that con- :
gress is obligated, legally or morally.
to make them present OF 1900 900
acres of land, simply because the
Texas d Pacific has forfeited it. The {
government should k .-rt l. nd. and b
II congress has the proper amount Of I,
backbone it will be kept. Let it 20. in .
small parcels. into tue hands OF
farmers and stockmen, Tho viii occu. ~
ny and develop il. IL. n"' ody's cr- .
ror or fault bat the Southern Paciiic's
II 1t expected 10 pluck this blum h
Certainly the government never gave ST
1t assurances to indulge in such an ex-
pectatlon. Public sentiment has about fl
reached tina &c % ii is ready To Is
contend that enough of the public do a,
main has passed into the hands of the ~
railroads. Texas gave and gave with
hand and no thought iQr the bt
until her once niagni,ic. OF
possessions have been fri'te away. III
The national government has aieady
bestowed vast areas upon the other .,
Pacific roads and it is now time to call n,
4 matt. The Texas delegation, unless NJ
we are greatly mistaken, will do their
whole duty ia tn matter. They are NJ
'onVersant with all the facts involved. bl
md have their home experience to ie
warn and guide them. W