Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1886-06-12
DISCUSSION ON ECONOMY.
Representatives Morrison and Holman
Talk Pointedly ON the Subject
In the House,

Representatives Morrison and HOlmal
Talk Pointedly ON the Subject
In the House.
A Civil Service Debate Causes q Dis
graceful Squabble Among the
Partizan Statesmen.
Railroad Land Grants Still q Bone Of
Contention In the Senate
Views of Senators.
WASHINGTON. June 11.-In the Senate Mr..
Witthorne gave notice that on next Legis-
lation day he would call up for the purpose
OF making some remarks on it, the bill to
promote the political progress and COM
mercial progress Of the American Nations.
This is Mr.. Frye's bill, providing for q Con-
gress OF the American Nations.
On motion OF Mr.. Dolph the Senate then
took up the Northern Pacific Railroad
Forfeiture bill. Mr.. George addressed the
Senate on the bill, commenting generally
on the enormous quantity Of land, H..
goo, 600 acre given by Congress to the
various railroad corporations from 1860
to 1875. Mr.. George said it was a larger
area OF land than that constituting the
Republic Of France, or the German Empire.
The present value OF the road land grants
at the average price already realized by the
companies was $773, 1876, 1863.
The Northern Pacific Company, he said,
had come to Congress assuring Congress
that the company had power to build it's
road without a mortgage or incumbrance
OF any sort. In giving a history OF Con.
gressional legislation in favor of the road,
Mr.. George characterized a portion Of that
legislation as "agreat fraud" Referring to
stock watering in connection with the
Northern Pacific, Mr.. George said that the
watering Of stock on the other roads as
compared with that on this road was but
a gentle morning dew compared with the
falls OF the Niagara. The company had
issued 500 ,OOO, 900 in stock to represent
$50 miles OF completed road. Regarding
the argument Of the railroads that they
would develop the country, Mr..
George alluded t. the fact which
he understood to be substantially admitted
by the Northern Pacific road authorities,
namely, that the company's trains refused
to stop at fl%ourishing towns in Washing
ton Territory, largest in that section, in
order that it's greed for money to build up
a town Of it's own four miles away might be
grati6ed. In that way it crushed the citi-
Gems Of the old town and persisted in its
refusal to stop it's trains at the old town
till The courts compelled them to stop.
Should Senators 60 on and by criminal
neglect Of duties allow this company to
become the owner OF an area OF land equal
to two States. He protested against any
faithlessness on the part OF Congress. He
made this protest on behalf Of millions OF
homeless people IN the United States.
MI. Logan, from the Committee on Ap-
priation bill and it was placed on the cal
endar.
Mr.. Teller said he would vote for tn
forfeiture OF all lands coterminus with
the ~uncompleted portions OF the roads.
Congress, however, had to deal with the law
and was bound by the law. As to the
statement that the Republican party had
given away a large amount of public lands
since 1860, Mr.. Teller said it was true
that the number of acres given since 1860
was greater than had been given before, but
the money value OF the land given by the
Democratic party before 1850 for railroads
and under military and naval warrants
and the Swamp act was four fold greater
than what had been given away since 1850.
The grant in the Northern Pacific case had
been held to be a grant in persenti, and il
the title had become vested by law, Con-
gress could not divest it.
Mr.. Sherman admitted that the company |
had forfeited the grant OF the lands 40 far
as they had not completed the road. He
would not III any case vote to forfeit the
grant where the road had been completed,
even after the time fixed for it's com
pletion. Such q proposition would be
q ossly inequitable, because the rights of
third parties interviewed. Congress not only |
did not forfeit the lands in 1870, when it
had the undoubted right to forfeit them,
but allowed the company to 60 IN and
build it's road, and the Government had
accepted the road, piece by piece, as it had
been built. The grant has become COM
piete and absolute and it would be a great
wrong now to forfeit lands that had been
Mr.. Hoar regarded the failure referred to
as an equitable estoppeL
Mr.. Van Wyck ask how it could be an
equitable estoppel when the company had
asked Congress to extend the
time for building the road and Congress
had refused to do so.
Mr.. Sherman said the mere failure to pass
a law had nothing to do with it. He te-
lieved Mr.. Van Wyck's amendment would
have an effect opposite to that intended.
He (Sherman) admitted the right OIL Congress
to forfeit the land along the uncompleted
portion Of the Cascade Mountain branch,
but it would be bad policyt to forfeit, because
while that land was not worth a cent an
acre its forfeiture would relieve the com
pany from completing that branch and so
rom building a tunnel through. the noun.
tains. A tunnel, the building OF which was
OF the utmost Importance to the growing !
commerce OF the Northwest. If this bill
passed, as Mr.. Sherman supposed it would,
he placed on record a prophecy that it
would relieve the Northern Pacific Company
of the expenditure of S., 600 or &c.
OOO, 900, while getting back land that was
not worth $1O.O 600. Thus the people OF
the Northwest would be denied connection |
with the Pacific across the Cascade range.
As to the great watering of stock referred
by Mr.. George, Mr.. Sherman said there
was more water in Mr.. Georges statement
than IN the railroad stock. Mr.. Sbel man
said all the Northern Pacific stock referred
to by Mr.. George would not sell for the
$50. OOO, 600 cash actually paid into it.
l. udV 4ONO q oVVA N WY ~
for those who had put money into it.
Mr.. Mitchell asked whether as aquestion
of fact Congress could not forfeit the land
if it had happened that the road had now
been entirely completed.
Mr.. Eustis said there was but one an
swer, where an estate was to be acquired
by the fu!flllment OF a condition there could
be no such thing as fulfllment of that con-
dition by implication. Fui1timent must
be fnll and complete before a legal estate
could pass. These railroad men. Mr..
Eustis continued, had made fortunes as
mushrooms grow in the night. A coterie
OF such men had enriched themselves at the
expense Of the people Of the United States.
They did not observe equity, honesty, or
good faith and only come here to assert
their legal rights and to defy the authority !
and power OF Congress and the peo-
pie of the United States to !
deal with them. The great question
to-day was whether the Government was
superior to corporations or corporations
superior to the Government. Corporations
had exhibited sh meless and objectionable
oppression and extortinn as well az effron-
terv in their dealings with the people and