The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1884-03-14
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WAaHIxoFoa. b. C.. Febs 29 "a.

OHAtPDE t9IAAAs s1AhATbt ALI
WAanrxoros. D. o., FebA 29, 's4. /
r. b. Curry, Esq., Asefitor and Clerk
efMs CITY Of Portland
Your letter OF Feb. l4th, transmit
ting the preamble and resolutions
passed by the Common Council Of the
city Of Portland, ataspoclal meeting
thereof, held on the evening OF Feb.
lith, 1884, 10 respect to the forfeit
ure Of the Northern Pacific land
grant, has been received.
The deliberately expressed views
and opinions Of the Common Council
ofthe chief commercial city Of Ore
gon, ought 70, and always win have
great weight with me, 10 respect 10
matters OF general interes. 10 the
State, or In respect 20 question: In
which the city Of Portland may be
chiefly concerned, aud | shall at all
times be both ready and willing, and
a. well esteem IL duty to render oil
the aid 10 my power towards the
procuring OF any proper and needful
legislation, concerning the general
interest OF the State, or ahe prosperl-
~ Of the city of Portland, consistent
with q wise and just public policy,
and that fidelity every legislator
owes 10 the Interest Of the great body
OF the people whom he represents.
In the present instance however, ]
aIn unable TO concur with some Of
tho propositions contaIaed Ia the
resolutions Of the Honorable the
Common Council Of the city OF Port
land.
I do not assent to tae proposition,
that ''any act on the part Of congress
interfering with the rights Of the
Northern Pacific Railroad Company
to It's land grant, or any portion
thereof, would be = great injustice to
the Northern Pacific Railroad Com
pany. On the contrary, hold, that
a just public policy requires that all
tho lands which have not been
earned Dy said company, under the
terms Of It's grant, by the construction
Of It's road-that is-all lands en-
bracod In tho grant adjacent to, and
cotermipouS with the uncompleted
Ipertion Of said road, should be
promptly declared 10 be forfeited by
act Of congress, and the same DO re-
stored 10 settlement, and for those
reasons.
| First-The original grant was I'm
provident In the last degree.
/ Second-The original grant vas
upon conditions, to be performed by
the company within twelve years, o,
In 1876. Two years extension was
given by congressional enactment, and
since the expiration O: these two
years the company has had nearly
six years mere extension OF time, by
-e~ ~eiinn Of congress.
/ ThIrd-The great ssJect Of the
original grant was "a siI rail- COM
municatieu TO the Pacific coast, sbv a
northern route, which has been
accomplished, 80 that the principal
reason for the grant 40 longer exists,
land this reason ~ longer operating,
the remainder Of the grant ought to
be restored 10 the public domain.
/ FOurth-Thc company has already
earned under the terms of the grant
IS, 100000 acres OF land, a very
large portion Of which Is most valua-
ble agricultural lands, for which said
company Is now demanding Of the
settlers, who nave gone upon them
In advance Of The Title accruing 10
the ecnapany, the extortiouate prices
Of from $3.50 to sf6 per acre The
remainder Of these earned lands are
either covered with valuable timber,
or are valuable for pastorage. ssgo
The vast extent Of this body Of
earned lands, may be better conceiv.
ed, iflooked az and considered, as a
consolidated territory. Throws into
enc compact bedy, they aggregate
"a .6S7 square miles, territory con-
siderably greater than the territorial
limits OF either of the states Of Indi-
ana, Ohio or Mississippi, and equal
10 extent to the area OF either OF the
states Of Illinois or Iowa. nbs -
I To continue conditions under which
further acquisitions OF public lands
may be secured In the hands, and
under the control Of this gigantic
monopoly, can neither DO wise nor
In just public policy. albaso Lea ,ansa.sI
For these and ether equally cogent
considerations, IL Is impossible for
me to comply with the request con-
tained In the third resolution of the
Honorable the3 Common Council
which Is as f0IlowsaaIas % rsv4gs IN
| ResO1vea, 'eThat our Senators, and
Representatives in Congress, be and
they are hereby requested to dosll in
their power 10 sscdre to the Northern
Pacific Railroad Company, ell the land