Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-05-28
DAILY pOST.INTElllcENCER
MARCHING ON.

Whoever does not believe that the
movement in favor of forfeitfnQ IN
earned land grants TO railroad corpora
lions Ia, like John Browns SOUL
marching on" either does not read
vress dispatches or 10 stubbornly blind
70 the progress of events. Not move
ment of very great importance has been
made in either branch Of Congress dur
inc the present session which has rot
been in the direction of denying tue
illegal and inequi.able claims of thee
Unsuitable grabbers. News of this kind
in nov. as the session draws along To-
ward its close, much more frequently
received. Yesterday We Published two
very important items of Congressional
news upon the subject The Chairman
of the House Committee on Public
Lands stated his expectation that the
Oregon Central forfeiture bill would
come up before the House during tbs
present week, and following it the
Northern Pacific bill. He furthermore
said that the report Of the House JudI-
ciary Committee on she backbone "
grant would not influence action upon
these and other grants, the circum-
stances being essentially different. This
antaoonizes the views of our Tacoma
contemporary, witch saw in the report
of that committee victory of the cor
porations, MIR. Cobb expresses views
identical with those which have ap'
peared in the colHmns Of this paper
that the House having already COM
mitted itself in favor of forfeiture, II
bills for that purpose reach a vote the
House will pass them.
In the Ser ate also the skies are bright
ening. Following the report OF the
Committee on Public Lands in favor OF
the forfeiture bill-whioh while in oui
Judgment not going to the extent jusii-
lied by the law and the situation, 10
long step in the right direction-we
published yesterday reports OF add
tional action by Senate committees
Senator Plumb. from the Committed
on Public Lands, reported in favor Of
forfeiting the Atlantic and Pacific Rail
road grant; and Senator Garland. from
the Committee on Judiciary, also 70
ported favorably the resolution recent,
introduced by Senator Slater, with some
notifications. 1t requests the Presi
dent TO furnish the Senate information
concerning the appointment OF Com
missioners sine, July 4, 1877, to ex
anime sections Of the Northern Pacific
Railroad, and the acceptance of such
sections. With the dates thereof; also
whether patents have been issued foI
lands claimed to have been earned
since the above date. and II so. TO what
extent. IL furthermore asks the very
important question whether any public
lands are now reserved from sale or
other disposal by reason OF the build
ing of said road or any part of it," The
resolution was placed on the calendar.
This begins to look like business
This resolution will without doubt be
passed by the Senate. Reply to its
queries will place the iniquity of the
Withdrawals of public lands in favor OF
the Northern Pacific plainly before the
Senate and the people. II will need but
the official statement of the President,
which will undoubtedly be given in
reply to these very pertinent questions,
to show up the cIaisis Of this company
In all their monstrous impotence and
illegality. II will be found that for
fourteen years and more. millions upon
millions OF acres of public lands have
been withdrawn from sale awaiting the
pleasure of this company; that when,
at the expiration Of the time limited
by law for the company to build its
road, the contract was unfulfilled. these
Withdrawals were continued; that no at
tsntion whatever has been paid by the
Executive Department TO the law of
1864, but that from time to time since
the contract was broken. Commissioners
have been appointed TO inspect sections
of the road built after that tine, that
such sections have been accepted by the
President, and that on application by
the company patents have been issued
for lands claimed TO have been earned
by such construction. All these things
will appear officially. They must do so,
for they are Of record. Ii IL also OF re.
record and notorious. that in every in
stance where contests have arisen In
tbs Interior Department between this
corporation and the settlers over the
construction Of the granting Act of 1864
and supplemental resolutions. the rule
of law has been reversed and the benefit
Of doubt given to the corporate grantee
instead of the Rrantor, the government.
Ii will be found that this 1nprincipled
corporation has been demanding from
settlers on lieu lands-to which il has
not, nor can IL have without Congress.
sional action. legal title lands
claimed In lieu OF others within the
limits Of It's grant not earned under the
stipulations OF It's contract, extortionate
and cruelty oppressive prices. These
and many other things will soon be
placed before the representatives OF the
people In Congress. We shall see what
will be done about It. For our own
part We have an abiding faith In the |
eventual outcome of this effort, late
though IL be, TO preserve the public do |
main for the settlers of this and the |
next succeeding generation.
CnFn ax,ffua szr.x.. All. m~H...G