The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1908-11-21

WnlCh l llStened WITH so much pleasure
the other day. but intensified, If pos
sible, as l read over this morning the
that occasion. Tile Hon. gentleman
from Minnesota, Mr.. Wilson, who.
believe, is managing this bill. in speak
ing of the character OF the country
through which this railroad is to pass,
says this: 1--WE want to have the
timber brought to us as cheaply aa
in this way. SO that no title can be OBJ
tanned to tllem--for no settler will go
or. these lands, for he cannot make a
living-you deprive us Of the benefit
of that TIMBER Now. sir, | would
not have 1t, by any means, inferrea
from this that. the gentleman from
people in that section desire this tim
Der merely for.the purpose of fencing
UP their farms SO that their stock may
not wander off Land die OF starvation
among the blealo hills of the st. Croix
Iaughter) ] read it for no such pur-
pose, sir, and make no such comments
OH it myself. In confederation of this
statement of the gentleman from Min
nesota, l find this testimony given by
the honorable gentleman from Wiscon-
sin, Mr.. Washburn. who. speaking of
the same lands. said: "They are gem
orally sandy, barren lands. My friend
from Gray Bay District. Mr.. Sawyer,
is perfectly familiar with this question,
and he will bear me out in what say
that these pine timber lands are not
adapted to settlement" Now, sir, who
after listening to this emphatic and
,lnequivocal testimony of these intelli-
gent. competent and able-bodied wit
nesses. Oaughter). who. that is not as
ircredulous as ST Thomas himself. will
. doubt for moment that the Goshen Of
America is to be found in the sandy
valleys and upon the pine-clad hills Of
the st. Croix? U.aughter) Who will
! have the hardihood to rise in his seat
on this floor and assert that, excepting
the pine bushes. the entire region
would not produce vegetation enough
in ten years to fatfen a grass hopper7
Great laughter) Where is the patriot
incur the peril of remaining anothe:
i day without the amplcst railroad COM
munication with such an inexhaustibc
mine of agricultural wealth? Laugh
!, teri. Who will answer for the conse-
quences OF abandoning great and
warike people, in possession Of a
difference and neglect Of their govern
ment? Uaughter) How long would
it be before they. would take to study
ing declaration Of independence and
Matching out the damnable heresy o:
secession? How long before the grim
demon Of civil discord would rear
again his horrid head in our midst,
"gnash loud his iron fangs and shake
his crest Of bristling bayonets."
l.aughter.) Then sir, think of the
long and painful process Of reconstruct
ton that must follow. with its concom-
militant amendments to the Constitu-
ton; the seventeenth, it is, of course,
understood. is to, be appropriated to
those hlushing qamsels who are, day
after day, beseeching us to let them
vote. hold office. drink cocktails. ride
astraddlc and do everything else the
men do. (RoarT of laughtcr) But,
above all. sir, let: me ilnplore you to
reflect for a moment on the deplorable
condition of our country in case of =
foreign war: with all our ports block
AIDED; all our cities in state of siege;
the gaunt specter Of famine brooding
like a hungry vulture over our starv-
ing land; our commissary stores al;
exhausted, our famished armies with
ering away in the field, helpless prey
to the insatiate demon of hunger; our
navy rotting in the docks for want Of
provisions for our gallant seamcn: arc
we without any railroad communica~
ton whatever with the prolific pine
thickets of the st. Croix (Grent
) l&ughtcr) All, sir, could well UNDER
stand why my amiable friends from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Meyers, Mr.. Kelly
and Mr.. O'NcilD should be so earnest
) in their support of this bill the other
; day. and if their honorable colleague,
my friend. Mr.. Randall, will pardon the
remark. I will say consider his criti-
cism of their action on that occasion as
|, 'ot only unjust, but ungcrenous. knew
they were looking forward with far
reaching ken Of enlightened states
nlanship to the pitiable condition in
!. which Philadelphia will be 1cft unless
|; speedily supplied with railroad con-