Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-07-23

gress and the forfeiture oi that portion
of the grant | was attempting to do
what both yOu and | agree should he
done without Completing it with
other matters which would prevent
its accomplishment. | opposed the
amendment to include the portion Of
the grant for the uncompleted gap of
the Cascade branch upon two grounds
first, because | feared it might defeat
the bill and delay its passage and thus
prevent forfeiture of the grant from
Wallula to Portland, and secondly, be-
canse | believed, for reasons which |
stated in the Senate, that i'll view OF
the comparatively worthless character
of the lands along this uncOmpleted
gap in the Cascade mountains and the
great commercial. Importance of d.
rect line of railroad from Lake Super
ior to Puget Sound, the public interests
require that the company should he
held to its contract and he compelled
to construct this most expensive and
difficult portion of its road. But | did
nothing more than to briefly present
to the Senate my views upon the
Observation-Disclosures which | presume
YOU will admit had right to enter
tain and express, and Ipressed the
bill with all the energy | possessed to q
final vote
The House of Representatives has
never passed bill to forfeit any por
ton of the grant. A Committee Of
the House has reported bill to for
felt all that portion of the grant lying
West of the Missouri river. A large
majority of the Senate are of the opin
ion that Congress has no power to for
felt any portion of the grant which i
coterminous with completed road, II,
matter whether completed within tn,
time fixed by the act or since, an,
that if it had the power it would no
be honest to do so.
If the House passes the bill as i
. was sent to them from the Senate, tn
forfeiture of the grant from Wallul;
to Portland will be secured, and l hav
| no hesitation in saying that the result
will be largely due to my efforts. If
insists upon the measure reported from
its committee, believe the FORFEITURE
of the grant from Wallula to Portlan,
will be indefinitely postponed.
Several acts FORGETTING land grant
have been passed by Congress, bu
l none of them embraced lands cotel
minus with completed road. do no
believe Congress will make an excel
ton in the case of the Northern Pacifi
1 Railroad Company.
introduced a bill for the forfeitur
: of this portion of the grant the frs
!. day of he session on which the intro
4 duction of bills was in order. | urge
: action in the committee, secured cor
4 sideration for it over bills quite as in
: portant, some of them land grant fol
: fixture bills, and reported a bill frame
Y in accordance with the views of ms
i jOrity of the committee, knowing tina
4 the Van Wyck amendment would b
!, offered in the Senate and would pre-
- badly be adopted. 1t was on my me
Il ton that the bill was taken up in til
+ Senate every day when motion Wa
l necessary to call it up for consider:
ton. TO myself is largely due tn
Il credit, if it be such, for securing tn
!, passage of the bill through the Senat
d / have labored without ceasing to s.
e cure the forfeiture of the grant betwee
# Portland and Wallula, without fear {
n favor, avOwing at all times and ever,
e where, in public or private, my pos
It ton upon the question of forfeitur
q and ! am willing to be judged by IL
+ record.
If l had been representing IL
1t wishes or interests of the Northel
4, Pacific Railroad Company, the b
N would, in all probability, have bee
re slumbering in the Senate Commits
a and no real progress would have bee
r made towards forfeiture.
le Respectfully yours,
d J. N. DOLPH