St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-03-03
As VIEWED IN DULUTH.
The Proposed Forfeiture Of the Duluth
& Winnipeg Grant.
WHY 1T COULDN'T BE DONE.
A Vigorous Protest Against the Scheme
to Cripple Northwestern Min
nesOta.

is watching keenly the progress of the
measure to forfeit the Duluth & Winni-
peg grant. There is no other matter in
which all take so great personal in
terest, and if the present legislature
does nothing else for the North western
portion of the state its work will be
considered as not in vain, if it gives to
the development of the vast region to
the northwest of this city the land
which it is proposed by some to divert
from the purpose for which it was set
apart. Interviews with all leading
citizens attest this fact. Secretary w.
F. Phelps, of the chamber of commerce,
in consultation with the GLOBE CORE
spondent gave his views pointedly, and
emphatically in regard thereto, and in
doing so only emphasized the opinion
of every citizen whose lot is cast with
the growth and development of North
western Minnesota. In substance Sec
rotary Phelps views are appended:
WHAT PHELPS SAYS.
The passage by the legislature of the
proposed act of forfeiture of the Duluth
& Winnipeg land grant would be a
measure of fragrant injustice to North
ern Minnesota. The railway develop
ment of the southern and central por-
tons of the state has been largely
stimulated by liberal land grants in
behalf of the roads centering at the
Twin Cities. The St.PaAA q Sioux City,
now the Omaha, the St.Raul & Pacific,
now the Manitoba, the Northern Pa
cific, the st. Paul q Duluth, the river
division of the Milwaukee Il st. Paul.
the Winona & st. Peter, now the Min
nesota division of the Northwestern,
each received enormous land grants
from the government. 1t cannot be
disputed that these land grants were of
ineStimable value, not only to the roads
themselves, but, indirectly, to the Twin
Cities Oh the Mississippi river. Most of
these roads run through the open prairie
country, where railway construction is
easy and comparatively inexpensive.
On the contrary. that portion of the
state lying north of a line running due
west from Duluth is forest country, of
Irregular topography, with mvre or
less of
ROCKY RIDGES
and other distractions, rendering the
expense of railway construction far
greater than that of the other portions
of Minnesota. Superadded to this, how
ever, is the fact that the section named
probably contains more natural wealth
in farm, forest and mine. than the en-
tire territory south of the line described.
This portion of the state is almost desti-
tute OF transportation facilities by rail.
To say that this small grant should be
denied the people of the Lake Superior
country to assist in opening up this
region, by providing adequate railway
70 rs III ic IN, A. ~ -
and fair play. This is said without
reference to the claims either of the
Duluth Il Winnipeg or the Duluth &
Iron Range roads. The citizens of Du-
luth are friendly to both these enter
prises, and desire greatly the promotion
of each in its particular field. There is
need enough for all the railroads that
are likely to be built during the next
ten years, north and northwest OF Lake
Superior. The legislature of this state,
the people of the Twin Cities and of
Southern Minnesota ought to be
JUST AND LIBERAL
enough to concede the equity of allow
ing this comparatively Insignificant
grant to be applied to its intended pur-
poses. | am surprised at the attitude
sion Of this question. To add this small
grant to the lands set apart for the
creation of a school fund is PROPOSE
ton too puerile for serious considera-
ton. Two sections in each township of
this great state are already being ap-
piled to that purpose, and the fund
eventually to be realized therefrom
will amOut probably to not less than
from $1S.000,000 to s20.0OO.00O. This
surely is enough to aid in building up
as good system of common schools as
any state in the Union possesses. On
the other hand, is not something due to
the work of utilizing the natural re-
sources of the lake region, which will
add untold millions to the productive
wealth of the state? The idea advanced
by Gen. Baker, that because all roads
lead to Duluth, that her
GEOGRAPHICAL AND COMMERCIAL
position are SO strong that such aid is
not needed, is all argument in the
nature of a boomerang. We may,
therefore, infer that he believes that
the positionof the Twin Cities is so weak
in its natural advantages that these
enormous grants were necessary to Sc
cure to them the benefits upon which
they have grown great and rich. / can
not believe that my friend is wholly
sincere in the position he has taken.
think the people of Minnesota aud
OF Dakota are more anxious to secure
ample railway connections with the
head of Lake Superior than the former
are to add an insignificant amount to a
school fund whose benefits they would
never feel. But this is not all. 1t
should be remembered that the con-
struction Of railways through this terri
tory will greatly enhance the value of
the lands already set apart for the
school fund, and bring them more
promptly into the market. This con-
sideration ought, it seems to me, to be
controlling with the legislature. 1t is
to be hoped that above all the mist and
noise of rival interests. our lawmakers
will rise to just appreciation of the
intrinsic merits of this question, and
decide it in accordance with the prin-
ciples of equity aud justice, without re-
gard to sectional or other prejudices.