The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1884-02-29
"UNEARNE

In eur issue of last week wo called
to the fact that of the 49,
100000 acres of land granted by con-
gress to aid in the construction OF the
Northern Pacific Railroad, the company
had complied with tho terms Of the
grant to the extent of acquiring title to
about 100000 acres, and that as to
the remainder the company had failed
to build the road in the time prescribed
by congress, aud, therefore, the re-
mainder of these lands were forfeited
and reverted to the government. We
called attention to the fact that the
0regoRiaH took the position that so far
as the company built the road, they
acquired an equitable title to the land
grant, although not completed in the
time prescribed as the terms upon
which the grant was made. As to that
portion Of the road which was not
built in the time prescribed by congress
in order 10 get the grant,th Oregoaian
says the company earned the land, and
have an equitable interest therein'
Our readers we'll know that We contro-
verted this position, and took the posi-
ton that the lands as to that portion
had not been "earned," but that the
company had forfeited them. In oo'
article we said "The 0regoRiaa sayl
that the boards of trade as representing
the mercantile classes have petitioneC
congress to not proceed against THU
grant. That paper is of the opinion
that the body of the people Of Oregon
and Washington Territory are opposes
to any further favors being gtanted L
the company, but that they would op
pose any effort to deprive the compan.
of any just right which they possess
The Oreyonian, however, takes tn
position that the company has a
equitable right to the unearned part @
/. the grant" The OrsgoHtan of 23r
inst. gets on very tall horse and use
such choice words as "gross misrepIo
sentatiou," Intentional misrepresentS
tion,' "carr." "snarl." "Iie," etc
applying those words to us. In all {
this the OregoniaR establishes two fact
in the minds of the public
Oae is that it is faithful represent
tive of corporation interests, an1 th
ether is that it can faithfully represer
that baser and grosser sort of journa
ism which has always been a reproac
and shame. Tho only ground upo
which the Oregonian applies thes
epithets to Us is as to the sense j
which we use the WORD "unearned.
The Oregonian says that so far as til
company built the road, they earne
the lands, although they built it not i
the time required by law. The DGMc
Gratis position is, that SO far as th
2 company built the road az the time pre-
scri5ed by the terms Of d.e grant it earne
: the lands to that extent, bat where
built the road, but did not do 90 In th
time prescribed then it. did not earn tn
lands. Now because we saw fs to us
the word "unearne1" consistent wit
the above definition to the word carr
the Oregonian applies the above ePi
thets to US. But we assure the Orego
nian that these words will hurt it NOR
than they will us. The people vii
see that we did not lie, but wa fea
they will apply that term to the o. ego
MAN for saying VIC did when we di'
not. It is patent to all that when tn
relation of the Ore9oHian to corpora
tions is referred TO il becomes ill-aatur
ed and cross and uses such language a
is not consistent with decent journalism
But SO far as the DEMOCRAT is concern
ed, the Oregonian shall have full
complete and uudisputed monopoly O
that style of journalism. Il was q
plausible thing for the OregOniaH t.
say that the Northern Pacific haG
earned the lands so far as they hac
built the road, although they had no
complied with the law, and than set vi
a claim for an equitable interest in th'
lands. The truth is the corporatios
earned the land grant so far as it com
piled with the law, and it matters not
how much road it built outside of tn.
terms of the grant, to that extent i
failed to comply with the law and K
that extent it failed to earn the land
grant. 500
And now because we saw Gt Il
determine for ourselves in what sens'
to use the word "eaTn," we are caIlee
very hard names by tee Ofegoniae
But the Oregonian has mission.
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