The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-02-07
MoRFETTKD LANDa.

6OL6FE11.HO LAM 10.
The policy Of granting lands TO aid IN
/. the construction OF railroads was inau-
gurated by the Democratic party when
Il Was IN power. II voted millions of
acres 70 the Illinois Central and other
enterprises. This plllcy was inaugural
ed In snswer to . popular demand for the
early development Of the west. The
pioneers OF the west could not wait for
the slow growth by wagon emigra-
ton, but most have railroads and bur
Tied development The policy Of vot-
ing Iands, and even United States bonds,
% aid IN pushing railroads throughout
the west had its benefits. 1t made the
west Ia twenty-five years what it would
have taken = century II make it by the
processes by which the old eastern aud
middle states were settled. But It has
been terribly abused. Il is only within
the last few years that the public senti-
ment has turned In the direction of Op-
position TO railroad land grants. For
this change OF sentiment the RAILROADS
themselves are almost entirely responsi-
BILE. The managers of these corpora
tons have sbused their powers, and
have grasped ct the exercise Of preroga-
dives which did not belong to railroad
: SaaasesmsnG They. have entered the
field OF PSlf&s, aud have sought to sub
vert the laws to their Us and ben fit,
and have In a large measure succeeded
10 some portions Of the country. Now
that revolution has commenced, they are
suffering the consequence OF their srbI-
trary sction. The TOats are powerful,
but they Gao no more stand against the
torpn Mt of public sentiment when once
aroused and united than the strongest
building can resist the power OF the
WhirlwtHd. They seem not 10 ha' e had
wisdom enough 10 sec this until now,
The first fruits If the storm they have
Teaptd 10 IN the tsking from their
grasp 100, 0OO, 600 Of acres OF the public
dsmalo by the congress of tue country.
Their complete contr, by law will
speedily follow, because revolutions
never go backward and their
course In ignoring public
sentiment, and debauching legislative
authority Is t1O we'll understood by the
people 10 admit OF their retaining such
advantages longer.
Il IL unquestionably within the power
OF congTess 20 forfeit the unearned lands
OF the subsidized roads. They have not
complied with tie terms under which
the grants were made. No doubt the
roads think this . great hardship, but
they we're given all the time they asked
Eat when they accepted the grants.
They have simply not ear ed the lands,
and Il snOt only right, butte the public
Interest that the government should re-
sumo POSSESSION OF such lands. and hold
them subject % public eatry. The con.
duct Of the great companies toward The
government which has net only bOunti-
fully endowed them with lands, but
loaned its credit literally to them. has
not been such as to enti,le them To pop-
ular sympathy.
1t IL not q sufficient ans yer TO say that
these roads have been n great public
benefit; fhAt without them vast r6 81 ms
would for years have been inaccessible
TO settlement, for II was with view to
open up these territories aud to help the
advance of civilization into wild regions
that the munifcent subsidies If lands
and credit were given to the contracting
parties. There Was IL thing else, in
deed, 70 justify such grants, and II the
public has BEEN benefited by the con-
.struciion and operari IN of the roads, 70
also have the companies been ben fitted
In the euhancsd value their lands and
sthe increase OF business consequent up
on settlement and CULTIVATION Of the
Hands. In other words, the benefits
have been mutual
The railroad companies will soon be-
rEin to realize that they are mt running
the country altogether in their own H.
terests. They have endeavored 10 cover
too much territory, but NO doubt the
Lesson they are now learning will result
to their substantial benefit as we'll as
that OF the country at large.