The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-01-26
Forfeiture of Land Grants.
MIR. Reeds Remarks ON MIR. Ezelnaan's
Reso oiutions.

Last Monday Mr.. Holman introduced and
moved the passage of, under suspension OF the
rules. series OF resolutions declaring the SEN
timsnt of the House in favor OF the forfeiture
OF land grants in aid of railroads, the condi.
tions of which had not been fulfilled, and in
structing the committee on the public lands
to report bills for this purpose at any time to
be considered next to revenue and appropria-
ton bills. The debate was limited to thirty
minutes. Mr.. Rsed was one Of those who op-
posed the passage of the resolution, making
the following remarks:
Mr.. Speaker, anybody who spesks upon
great question like this without uotice or time
ly warning. necessarily takes some risks ana is
at considerable disadvantage in tue debate
The public mind, aud also the mind Of this
House, upon certain ideas is attracted by q
large or broad statement, which, while il COW
ers matters obnoxious perhaps to just re-
proach, is perceived to cover also great
many other things. I think it is very unds-
srabie that question of such magnitude as
this should be treated ilf this hastv manner.
l had some occasion, in the course of my du-
ties as member of one of the committees of
the last House, to investigate the subject of
railroad land grants, and while / did not in
vestigste them thoroughly on account OF the
enormous labor necessarily involved in the
work, investigated them for long enough
period TO leave the impression upon my mind
that there were some railroads yet unbuilt, and
some ip process of construction, where il
would be an advantage to this country to con-
tinue the grants, because the same reasons ex-
ist today which existed when the original
grants were made; and 1 apprehend that
there is no surer way of getting the lands into
the possession of the people in their most valu-
able shape and form than by building rail-
roads whereby the lands are made accessible
and necessarily more valuable. But Can not
go into the discussion of that question. The
time allowed for the discussion is too short for
that. All 1 can do at this time is to suggest
that it is undesirable to deal with this ques-
tion in this large way.
There are some Gases where / should agree
entirely with the gentleman from Indiana
lMr. Holman. The committee of which
was member reported unanimously, or with
single exception, in favor OF the forfeiture OF
large amount of land, twelve millions of
acres in one single case. / never had any
hesitation or doubt about the propriety OF that
action. l have always had some hesitation
or doubt as to whether it was right to that
community to forfeit the lands OF the Missis-
sipp and ship Island Railroad, which Is in
country where there had not been the same
opportunities for the earning of their lands as
existed III more northern States, aud that such
forfeiture might be a hardship upon the peo-
pie. However, full examination might bring
me to another conclusion or deepen my pres
eDt impression upon the subject. l merely
mention fhis instance that occurs to me a. the
moment as oae of those which is covered by
this resolution.
Then the remarks of the gentleman from
Iowa Mr.. Kassonl have started new con-
sideration involved IN the subject. 1t is per-
feotly well known that since the subject wa
brought up for discussion in Congress there is
new industry which has sprung up and as
snmed place side by side with tho leading IN
dustries in the history of this country. l refer
to the cattle industry. Men who have positions
GU the banks of the rivers have taken possess
sion there of large tracts of country stretching
into the interior, and have been making enor-
nous sums of money out Of the grass, which is
the income of The public lands Now, if yov
refuse TO sell that property or make any ar
rangement with regard to it, you are going to
meet with this difficulty: are you not liable to
give these men the property which you will
not sell to them? These two things show III
my judgment that as wise men We ought to
hesitate on the threshold of such O subject.
know 1t is a popular thing to go at these meas
nres IN d sweeping way on the part OF impetu-
Gus people who do not take the trouble to ex-
anime, but l submit to the House whether it
is desirable to commit ourselves without con-
sideration to proposition SO sweeping as this
There great many things in it which we
all favor. There are some things to which We
are opposed and on which we differ.
Now, in saying this need not remark that
speak for myself and myself alone.