Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1884-08-29
RAILROAD LAND GRANTS.

republicans on the question Of railroad
land grants. Mr.. Hatch, in his speech
at the Masonic hall on last Saturday.
not only grew eloquent. but almost
hystcric. while touching on tlais part of
his subject. He became so enthusias-
tic that he announce his willingness to
.sbe .struckdumb for the rest of his life If
he could only succeed II driving into
the brains and hearts of the farmers of
Adair county. the enormity Of this re-
publican waste To an auditor who
knew nothing of the manner in woich
railroads have been aided, one would
have supposed that the democracy
hadn't even the 'smel! of fire" on their
garments in this regard.
The facts OF record bear us out in
saying that if the republicans are unfit
for public trust because of their rail.
road land grants, then the democracy
for the same reason, are unfit. as they
began the practice, and considering
all things, gave of the public lands
more lavishly than the republicans.
I To show the correctness and force
Of this statement, let us begin with
1850. At that time and on TO 1861,
the democracy had the President and
both houses Of congress. The first
railroad land grand was made in 1850
and from 1880 to 1861, the democracy
not only set the example, and were
first in this land grant business, but
they gave 1880, 900 acres o + the
most fertile and valuable lands in the
Union to railroad corporations. In
1880 there were only, o,o2I miles of
railroad IN the United States. During
the decade from 1850 to 1860 2I,6I4
miles of railroad were built, so that in
1860 the total number of miles of rail.
road in the United States was only 3o,-
635 miles The democratic President
and congress during this ten years,gave
Of the most fertile and valuable lands
in the Union, 42. 500. 900 acres and
yet Mr.. Hatch is willing to set
forth the railroad land grant business
as crime for which the republicans
should be required to vacate the places
of profit and trust
In twenty-tbree years Of Republican
rule, the two Great Pacific railroads
have been built. These railroads con-
meet the eastern with the western poi.
ton of our great country. They
pass through districts OF barren
wastes that never would have
been cultivated had it not have been
for these railroads. These railroads
on the other hand, never would have
been built had it not have been for
government aid. The republicans in
twenty-three years, have given In aid
OF railroads, 54,ooo,oo acres OF land
Two thirds OF this amount vas given to
to these great Paciiic lines, which
were absolutely necessary to curry
both the immigrants and the commerce
of The country. The remaining third
was given to various roads, quite a
percent of it TO roads in southern states
To take out these two grants to the
Pacific roads, the republicans have
given but little more in the twenty
three years than the democrats gave
in the last ten years OF their official
life. Did Mr.. Hatch know OF these
facts We have no disposition to
charge him with ignorance. 1t is ap-
parent to US that he supposed that his
Adair county farmer auditors were
ignorant of these facts, hence he
sought to deceive them.
Note one fact more: From 1850
to 1860 there were only 2I,6I4 miles
of railroad built, this under democrat
ic rule. From 1861 to 1888, under
republican rule. $4,000 miles have
been built. SO that in 1883 we had a
total of 119,9S7 miles of railroad. Our
Congressman made another blunder.
He declared that the wealth of the
country under republican rule had all
gone east Of the Alleghanies. His IL
lustration was very happy one and
made fine impression. He imagined
a large COW with hind quarters east Of
the Alleghanies and those misery and
selfish yankees milking day and night
while the farmers of Adair were only
allowed the pleasure of feeding. With
a voice, something like we have imag.
ined Gabriers will be, i. {. a great deal
Of noise and scare in it, he shouted out
"how long are you going to continue