Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-04-27
Dali, POST. INIeluGENCER.
nat N PAYMENT. But A. \ GIFT.

The Wa,la Walia Cnton Iii pro rail-
road and necessarily ant'-people article
pravely declares that TO refuse to pay
tue price agreed upon for tue road si-e-'
the land grant because il was not cnii'
in time is TO not only accept the uork OF
Others without making inst compen-H-
ton, but il to give up one OF TIE ihFer-
eats of the people III the rallied h'2h"as
b hit by the Northern pac'h;' 81 ie1''
them with no other or gTester interest,"
in the road than tha' acquired by the
.vavc,ee IF the rnies Of eminent domain
in behalf Of tn CO npany. IL alleges
that "before the eOpie can exefcse
mueh authority over the Northern "a
cific they must pay Tor the '"rs per
formed for them w that corporation'
and that "by confirming The accept
ance nv their agents of the completed
portions Of rallied highway and pa JlnR
for the work performed, the p opie &C
auire an uuquestionable right to reasire
the road to be operated for their
benefit
These assertions are only noteworthy
Az showing the desperate straits INTO
which apolosists for the greed OF cor
porate monopoly can be driven. ihey
are no, only false As conclusions OF law
lint false in fact. The people,. ~ tue
peyernmeut-did not agree TO bniia the
Norttern Pacific Railroad, nor did II
agree to pay for its construction. IL
promised that if that company would
bnild a railroad from Lake superior
to Puget Sound within specified time
+, abould receive about 20 UO,UD acres
of unoccuped public lands. Inc com
pany hasn't yet built the rhliro'o'
although it has obtained title to some
of the lands. Confirming PIE whoi"
land grant to the company would not
add one whit to the interest which the
Dublie has in the Northern Pacihc isa'i-
road. 1t would have the same power
the same right, and no more, to regulate
it's charges. prevent discrimination,
compel it to pay taxes, and generally to
enforce it's compliance with the laws
regulating the business OF common
carriers, were the land grant forfeited
as though it were confirmed to the com
pany. In either case the power OF the
Government il sufficient T. protect
Dublic rights, if honestly exercised. II
il idle, then, to say that before the
people can exercise much authority over
the Northern Pacific they must pay for
the work performed by that corpora
ton" They will in any case be com
PEELED to pay, and heavily, for all ser
vice rendered by that company. They
are doing 40 today, and the tn,on Is
bowling as loudly ~ any paper In East
ern Washington Mt the charges and dis
ordinations imposed upon consumers
and tradesmen. Will 1t be silly enough
to assert that the land grant has any
thing to do with that matterr
The Northern Pacific Railroad Com
pany, rs are all other railroad corpora
lions in the United States, IL, outside OF
its land grant, endowed with especial
privileges. 1t il permitted to do things
forbidden to private individuals. 1t Is
given public lands for a roadway and
for station purposes. 1t can enter upon
private property. procure its condemna-
ton and compel its alienation despite
the objections Of the owner. In re-
ceiving these special privileges it also
assumes special duties, which If not
voluntarily performed NAV be enforced
by law. The granting of "A landed sub
sidy to aid in the construction Of rail
road neither diminishes the special
privileges nor adds to the legal duties
of the beneficiary. 1t has no legal rela-
ton to them whatever. The interest of
the people in the Northern Pacific iiall-
road, with or without it's land grant. il
, ailroad-no less, no more. 1t ls the re
served right of self protection, the
power to compel subject to do justice.
1t il not proprietary, but supervisory.
and extends rs we'll to unsubsidizsd As
subsidized railroads.
The government never agreed to pay
any price for the Northern Pacific Rail
road IL it had so agreed it would. on
payment of the price. become entitled
to the road. II would be the proprietor
by purchase. But that was not the bnr-
gain. The government did not propose
to build. pay for or own this railroad.
There was in 1864 a strong demand for
a railroad across the northern portion
Of the United States. Recognizing and
aoQuiescing therein, Congress told the
Northern Pacific Company that il it
would start right in and bnild road
within twelve years from Lake Superior
to Puget Sound, the government would
present it with una ~ million acres of
public land lying on both sides its line,
and that it should have patents rs fast
as each section of - miles WAS COM
pleted. That was the bargain. The
lands were a donation. not purchssa
money. They we're given contineently.
not Internationally. Ownership of tue
road itself ia sufficient compensation
for the cost Of its construction. II is a
most valuable piece OF property. pros
pectively the best in the United States.
Ii hasn't cost its stockholders much
money, being constructed principally
with funds derived from the sale of its
mortgage bonds. These bonds are
worth par. even though the land grant
we're forfeited. The road can and will
earn the interest they call for. and have
from year to year. with ordinarily saga
oions management, a surplus sufficient
to create "A sinking fund for their re-
demption at maturity. The public mus,
pay this interest IN transportation
charges. Ii must also pay dividends, If
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