Railroads Took 158 Million Acres of Public Land
A scathing editorial indictment of Republican railroad subsidies in the Pacific Northwest.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The successful construction of the Great Northern railroad without any land grant or other subsidy is a forcible reminder of the shameful squandering of the people's heritage—the public domain—by the Republican party. From 1861 to 1875, over 158 million acres of land were granted by Republican congresses to railroads. The Northern Pacific obtained a massive grant of land, 20 miles wide through states and 40 miles through territories. Any company that could hire lobbyists and supply them with boodle could get a land grant. An area of 158 million acres is nearly equal to the combined states of Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Missouri. Under Republican rule, the settler had to show strict compliance with the law, while the railroad companies were exempt from all law; they did not keep their contracts, yet their lands were not forfeited. Since Democrats took the House, they have forced through bills restoring 50 million acres of these unearned lands to the people. This gigantically robbery should never be forgotten.
“Any company that could raise money enough to procure a charter, make maps, and hire lobbyists and supply them bountifully with boodle, could get a land grant.”
This editorial highlights the long-standing tension in Washington over land ownership, public resources, and the influence of corporations on state governance. The rhetoric of the 1892 campaign—attacking land grants and corporate 'boodle'—reflects the same populist skepticism of special interests that remains a staple of Northwest political discourse.
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