Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-07-12
RAILWAY erAsr. IN eKEsex.
THE Dalles Sun.

4 lc D&&aSr
We think that there will be bat few
of our readers who will be willing TO &C
cent what Mr.. Thos. z. Cakes, leading
manager of the Northern Pacific Rail
road. SAYS regarding the rights OF his
company in the odd section lands along
8 de their line of road in Oregon. We
do not raise the question whether they
were going on IN good faith, as MI.
Oakes claims they were, but what We
question Is where the Northern Pacinc
got anv rights which made them mas
tiers of lands without consideration;
and, if the consideration has not been
complied with. has not bsen carried out
in good faith according 20 the terms OF
the agreement where the night OF tne
road comes in to hold
Oakes says 80 We cencede the right
, of the government TO dispose OF the land
to build q road, bat We don't recognize
the right of the government TO use the
| land for any other purpose"
We were unacquainted With any such
point 10 law, or the economy OF govern
ment, ss would deprive the Government
| of its holding ownership or right IN any
thing because any other power to whom
the property he'd been sold but not paid
/ IOT OF ID5H<-s1tbAl EtSCbs Aoa 1D<AU~A~N ~
| cOLaply With the terms of sale. 1t Is the
| first time that We have ever heard taat
grants made for specific purpose could
not be reclaimed, bat that the Govern
| ment might 90 on and build road out
of the lands. but could not take them
| from the hslders because they did not
build a road in accordance with the
terms of the grant. There has not a
1 8 rnaA haaxa hnTtt the Sf2t4
/ of Oregon on tue south side of the Co
lumhia River by the Northern Pacific,
which was to be assisted by the odd sec
tons in a strip ten miles vide, but the
lands were Withdrawn for a strip forty
miles wide, and according to the claim
Of Cakes, these lands still belong to the
railroad company.
We would have supposed that the
Northern Pacific managers would have
been in a measure willing to qualify
their demands now, that the full extent
of their illegal fraudulent course TO-
wards the public had been shown up
and, that such lands across the State OF
Oregon from Wallula to Astoria as had
been held without a shadow of right OF
a raw of Justice in its favor; which have
been kept from the settler; kept from
taxation and the burden doubled apor
the settler, upon even section lands, tC
serve the fraud of the railroad stock.
holders, would now have been freed anc
released from bondage; but that is not
TO be the case if the road powers can
help it.
II becomes important, not for one
man but every man in Oregon, to put II
his stern protest against this new dodge
now offered to keep the lands out of the
hands of the people and to increase
their value in the hands of the railroad
corporation. Let the settler look at the
action of Congress. They will see that
in the past week the House has repealed
the pre-emption, timber claim and des
ert acts, and that it only depends upor
the action of the Senate for those two
privileges to be taken without notice
from the people of the Northwest. This
is icing done in the interest of the rail
road. They have their active agents al
work to deprive the people of these
rights. Those who have opposed taking
these rights from the settler were led te
believe that it was abandoned for this
session when it was suddenly sprung
upon the House and passed, and Is in
tended to give the railroad lands high
or value there is an attempt to prove
that this action was not brought abou
by the railroad interests, but of it there
is no doubt Nothing more disastrous
could have been jumped upon this por.
ton of the country than to cut of the
entry of settlers who wish in good faith
to make homes upon the soil.
These lands can be kept in the large
bodies reserved for the benefit of rail
| roads which for twenty wears have moi
been able to show any shadow of It'll,
vet the honest settler must be kept of
II is to be hoped that Mr.. George voted
favoring the Northwest, and that Delpi
and Slater will do So, we shall see.