The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-26
PAYS TO BE- BENIGN
Railroads Find That Colonization
Philanthropy Is a Profitable
Proposition.
Why the Union Pacific and Other
Western Roads Spend Money
on Irrigation Projects.
From, a Staff corresnondent.

From Staff Correspondent.
Omaha, sNeb., Sept. 24.-When it is said
that the Union Pacific carries twice the
tonnage from west to east that it does
from east to west, the whole story is told
of the, interest Of the western railroads
in irrigation. What these railroads want
is freight from the east. To get it, they
must have people in the west. They must
have settlers for the land They must
have development. That word develop
:ment" is the keynote of the whole irriga-
ton; performance. It is the thing heard
from start to finish, from the Missouri to
the Pacific. These great arid stretches
Of, land can be developed by irrigation.
They can be made populous and produc
tive. They can be made the sites Of cities
and towns and agricultural communities,
whence will come products Of the. ground
for feeding the east, and to which the
east will send Its manufactures. ~
Some Of the western roads were helped
In their construction by land grants from
the federal government. There are thou
sands :of acres, Of these grants still I'M
Esoid. sBut5do not imagine that it is the
/ sole: ambition Of the railroads to get rid
of this remaining land.> Cattle-grazing
companies stand ready and eager to take
this land off the railroads hands, but sale
to the cattle companies would turn them
into ranges and keep them such for years,
perhaps and the settlement and real de-
velopment of the country would be, to
that extent, retarded. Colonization is
vastly more to railroads than the mere sale
Of their real estate at a good profit. The
Union Pacific and other western railroads
have colonization bureaus. They have
men in their employ at good salaries, to
encourage and promote colonization. One
prospective settler is worth more in the
eye of this railroad than $40 acres A
settler is cherished, guided and encour-
ageds HE is actually aided to find and
make a, home, and this great "soulless
corporation" could nots be !. more tender
and kind If 1T were a, philathropic organ
ization;s or a benign paternalistic institu-
ton devoid: of any thought Of self. That
the Fundamental motive is ,selfsh,i is frank
ly admitted. It is q hard dollars and
cents purpose to get more freight for the
road, and especially more freight from
east sto west. The development and re-
celpts of the road depend on the develops
ment and prosperity of thest country thru
which the road runs. Therefore, it is; to
mote the prosperity of this country; for
in promoting the prosperity Of the com
munity, it promotes the prosperity; Of the
| individual and vice versa.
! Thus. 1t, comes to pass that the western
railroads have Joined hands with one OF
the most practicable and universally COM
mended philanthropies Of modern times
Tucker 1of the Salvation Army and his
colonization projects; They stand behind
him with money and lands and thei1
powerful influence. Rich men in the easi
4 who look for interest on their bonds, fine
! 1t prom otes said interest to take stock ii
1 Booth Tucker. They find that it will pay
In this instance at least, to do good. 1t is
the holders Union Pacific stock who are
the. principal holders of stock In the colo.
4 nization companies of the Salvation Army
i But it is. not Only the land grant rail.
roads that are promoters Of irrigation
Practically every railroad in the west /!
q heavy subscriber to and enthusiastic
supporter Of all Irrigation movements The
1 reason is the same that moves the land
i grant roads-they want the freight ant
i prosperity and dividends that will com.
4 from settling. sup and developing the coun:
ltry thru which they rum The railroad.
4 are represented at these irrigation CON
4 crosses. They are in league with tn,
4 Irrigation associations and are back o
1 the movement for irrigation by govern
ment assistance. They contribute to TIL,
! literature and the cost Of the irrigation
propaganda, and to the support ola lobb.
at the national capital. In other words
what they start out to do. The RAILROADS
are in irrigation "up to their .necks,'' an,
they are in it literally, for business. /
this damns irrigation, then the Who'll
project is very thoroly damned. IT, O.
the contrary, there are times when self
interest and philanthropy run along tn
same channel; then the public may hav
a new and pleasurable sensation in con
!, templating the railroad in the characte
Of a thing righteous and benign.
w. w. Jermane.