St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-05-08

large an Interpretation the granting acts
would possibly admit of. 1t Is not in that
spirit that the rights of pre-emptors and of
persons seeking to acquire title under the
homestead provisions have been dealt with,
but they have been required to bring them
selves within, not only all the substantial con-
ditions, but almost the rigorous formalities
presented in the laws under which they
make their claims. do not mean to say the
interior department is more rigid than its
Official duty compels 1t to be in dealings with
individuals, and its requirements from the
pre-emptors and homestead settlers and others
OF the strict and formal proof is most COM
plete and the technical compliance with all
the conditions of the acts of congress before
patents are issued. Nevertheless it is true
that individual cases are hung up for months
until anything lacking, which Ingenuity can
hold to be necessary link in the chain of
evidence is supplied, but in the case of great
railroad corporations, demanding millions of
acres. everything seems to be presumed in
their favor. No inquisiton is made into the
regularity of the transactions in the most
vital particulars, and when two constructions
are possible, the one giving the widest scope
to the grants seems to be invaribly preferred.
In this case the continued legal existence of
the New Orleans, Baton Rouge 81 Vicksburg
railroad company Notwithstanding the repeal
of its charter years ago, by the legislature of
Louisiana, was assumed on the mere ground
OF judgment obtained without argumentand
rendered without reasons iu subordinate
United States court, and which, however,
obtained, and is finding to nobody but the
parties to it. 1t is to be regretted that more
of that care and caution, which has been ex-
erclsed in giving patents for quarter sections
OF land had not been shown in giving pa
tents to railroads for areas exceeding those
of powerful European monarchies. 1t may
be values to regret the past, but it is clearly
time to call halt in the loose grants and
equally loose constructions of the grants of
the public domain to corporations, which are
private in their ownership, control and
profit, however useful the enterprises in
which they are engaged may be to the coun-
try
The bill was referred to the committee on
public lands.
At the conclusion of HIPS speech, the
senate resumed consideration of the shipping
bill
Senator Vest opposed the tonnage tax, and
moved a substitute, which Frye accepted,
abolishing all tonnage dues on United States
vessels entering United States ports, and
only retaining such dues on vessels of for
eign countries, discriminating in like manner
against the United States, Senator Vest added
a clause, providing that nothing contained in
the section shall impair the force of any
treaty.
The section providing for compensation
for ocean carriage of mails, gave rise to con-
siderable discussion. The section permits
the payment of a sum not exceeding 81 mile
nf rI1r, for.
the United States mails between any port of
The United States or any foreign ports, but
the services shall only be performed until the
contract with the lowest responsible bidders
aggregate the amount to be paid
for such service and shall not
exceed the amount received by the
United States from foreign mail service dur
ing the year preceding the contract, less the
amount paid for such carriage on a foreign
vessel.
Frye said he had drawn up the provision
relating to foreign mail pay, after consulta-
ton with the postmaster general.
Senator Vanwyck characterized the provi-
sion as one to give 81, 500, 900 a year in sub
sides.
Senator Frye defended the bill against the
char ge of being made a subsidy measure
Why this intense anxiety H;have the English
flag float over the United States mails? 1t
was free trade run mad. This provision was
in no sense subsidy, but if subsidies were
necessary to enable the United States to re-
cover her position on the ocean, he would
be willing to appropriate one, two, or even
ten million dollars to accomplish the object,
and he would only feel he had done his
duty.
The general debate on the bill will close to-
morrow at O'Clock
Adjourned