St. Paul daily globe., 1886-02-16
In THE SENATE.
Failure of the Northern Pacific to
Pay for Surveys and Taxes

WASHINGTON, Feb. l5.-On the assem-
bling of the senate the chair laid before it
a letter from Secretary Lamar transmitting
in accordance with the senate resolution, the
papers filed in the interior department touch
ing the official and personal conduct of
Henry Ward, Indian inspector, during his
continuance in SAID office. The original
copies of the reports made by Ward. EN-
bracing 2S2 enclosures, were transmitted.
The secretary concluded by saying:
am directed by the president to say that if
the object of the resolution is to inquire into
the reasons for the suspension of Ward,
these papers are not to be considered as con-
stituting all the evidence transmitted to him
in relation thereto. / am also directed by the
president to say that he does not consider it
consistent with the public interests to trans
NIT copies of unofficial papers from private
records held in my custody from him. which
relate exclusively to the suspension of the in
cumbent.
The letters and accompanying papers
were referred to the committee on Indian
affairs. Senator Van Wyck submitted an
amendment to the house bill to increase the
pensions of widows and dependent relations
of deceased soldiers and sailors, providing
that minor children shall receive So per
month when one PARENTS deceased and $40
per month when both are deceased, and
that the pensionable age extend to 1S years.
Mr.. Hawley introduced a bill, which was
referred to the committee on public lands,
''relatng to the taxation of railroad lands
and for other purposes" Mr.. Hawley said
the bill related to very sore subject, an
exceedingly large quantity of land, perhaps
60, 600 square miles, had been granted to
the Northern Patiic Railroad company, but
but it was provided by an amendatory act
of congress that no patents should issue for
the land until after payment by the COM
pany of all fees relating to surveys, etc.
The fee was only about cents an acre.
The railroad had paid the fees upon only
about so, 600 acres of
ITS IMMENSE GRANT.
1t had nevertheless proceeded to give to
settlers warranty deeds for many millions
upon millions of acres of land. The COM
panY had ingeniously got property enough
to try TO locate the villages and cities upon
its own selected sections. These lands
that the company conveyed by warranty
deed had been settled and improved and in
many cases thriving villages had grown up
on them. 1t turned out now that by re-
cent decision of the supreme court of the
United States. none of these millions of
acres were taxable. The reasons given by
that court were irrefragable, but congress
should lInm0Qialely provide Dy law a
remedy for the difficulty involved. The
railroad had refused to pay the cents an
acre, and the communities interested there
fore found themselves without the
POWER OF TAXATION.
Some of the people, however, had paid
taxes. These people were without remedy.
A few foreign corporations, being large
holders, had paid taxes under protest and
their rights had thus been protected, the
protest being believed by many to have
been made by the suggestion of the rail-
road company. The counties and COM
munities, therefore, were now liable to a
large claim for taxes that had been paid,
besides which about nine-tenths of their
tax lists had been destroyed and they were
almost bankrupt The people interested
had exhausted conversation with the rail-
road president and the general land office
of the government. One declined to take
remedial action for one reason, the other
for another reason and the only help for
THIS VERY SERIOUS MATTER
lay with congress. Mr.. Van Wyck added
that but one-half the enormity and outrage
had been stated. All the land grant rail-
roads in the West were guilty of the same
offense. He was glad to see Mr.. Hawley's
bill introduced. Mr.. Teller said that the
fault lay with congress. The executive de-
partments of the government had for years
been reporting to congress the full measure
of the evil referred to. and requested legis-
lation to enable the executive to protect the