Year: 1878

VlSeQ SaJuleS IeituS aS ioilo""
"There Is gra ted, for purposes
Of internal Improvement, to
each new State hereafter ad-
mitted into, the Union, upon
admission, so much public land
as, including the quantity that
was granted to such State before
its admission and while under a
Territorial government, will
make five. hundred thousand
acres"


Col. Larabee, of the Constitu-
tional Convention, has introduc-
ed INTO that body a proposition
to dispose of this grant strictly
according to law and the pur-
poses contemplated, as follows;


The net proceeds Of the sales of
the 100000 acres of land to which
the State is entitled by the provis-
ions of section 237S of the revised
statues of the United States, shall be
as rapidly as is practicable, invested
by the Governor in such manner,
and at such periods of time as the
Legislature may direct, in register
ed bonds Of the United States OF
America; and also the interest on
the same shall semi-annually be in
vested in like bonds, and 1t shall be
the duty OF the Legislature at any
session before the year 1888. to pro-
vide by law that said bonds. and
the land remaining unsold be given
to such corporation or company as
shall before that year have first
completed and have In practical
operation railroad from the east
ern shore Of Admiralty Inlet east
ward across the Cascade mountains,
bv some pass at least so miles north
of the Cascades of the Columbia
river, to point on the same river
between Wallulu and Priests raplds;
and upon the further conditions
that the Governor, state officers,
members OF the Legislature, judges.
circuit attorneys and sheriffs shall
be carried free of charge therefor
when in discharge Of their Official
duties, and that all troops, mnni-
tions of war, subsistence stores, and
all merchandise Or materials OF
every kind belonging to the State
shall be carried free of charge, and
have prefer ce in order OF transit.
In the event go such road is cem>
pleted by the time fixed. the net pro
ceeds of said land shall form part of
the school and university funds OF
the State, in such just proportions
as the legislature shall provide.


The Walla Walla Statesman
characterizes this proposition as
"subsidizing the Seattle Rail
road" and proceeds to say:
eve think it very doubtful po-
Icy to give this latest out
growth of the corruption of our
day a place IN the organic law
of the land" Then what would
this protesting editor do with
this land subsidy, which comes
to the State by virtue of its as
suming State authority, as a
property in trust for specific
purpose? 1t is granted for 'pur-
poses of internal Improvement, "
and the proposition is to secure
its proceeds to aid in an improve
ment which all will admit is of
the most vital Importance to the
futute State, in uniting the now
divided portions by railroad,
not by surrendering the land to
any company or corporation for
speculative purposes, but to offer
the proceeds Of the sale thereof
as a guarantee to any company
which will first complete such
railroad upon terms OF perpetu-
al advantage to the State. This
object could not be attained by
leaving the matter open to legis-
lation as a subject of bargain
and intrigue; but is made a ccr'
tainty by Incorporating it in
the organic law. This grant
may be selected from any Gov
ernment lands in the Territory
not otherwise disposed of, and
iudicious selections on or near
the proposed railroad, would in
sure an estate which would COM
mand q cash capital of at least