Mr. McRUER. Mr. Speaker, I have no particular objection to postponing the consideration of this bill, but I think that we might as well meet the issue at this time. There is a disposition open and avowed on the part of some members of this House to defeat every one of these grants to aid in the construction of railroads; and as an argument in behalf of this effort it is set forth that these grants of land are donations or gifts. Sir, I repudiate that whole idea. The fact is substantially this: a company come forward and propose to construct a railroad or canal, thereby doubling, trebling, or quadrupling the value of the public domain for what? In consideration of the grant of a certain portion of that land. Of course they are acting in their own interest; but, sir, I contend that it is for the interest of the whole country that these important public works should be promoted by grants."land. Now, I ask gentlemen whether they propose to overturn the whole system which has prevailed in this country of granting the public lands? Sir, we not only make these grants to corporations, but it is the policy of this Government to give away its public lands to every person who wiNll oowcc, upy and improve them. sir, in regard to the road which this bill proposes to aid, I will say that the road goes through a country that is not permeated by any rivers. Timber grows in that country only to decay; and this always will be the case until some artificial means shall be provided for bringing it to market and making it valuable. The grant of land, as proposed in this bill, will not subtract one dime from the wealth of the nation. This company do not propose to take this land out of the country. One would suppose, from the manner in which measures of this sort are denounced, that our public domain is to be diminished; that we are not going to have land enough left to raise whatever may be necessary to sustain life. Eve one of.grants to railroads going throu unpopulated country, through land which in its present condition is not worth a cent, does not impoverish, but must necessarily enrich the country. These grants stimulate industry; they invite population. If on the line of this road there is any land worth cultivation and fitted in its present condition to invite population such land has already been taken up and occupied, and none of such land can be granted. All the land that this company can obtain under this grant is land which never has been cultivated and never will be until there shall be provided some means of transportation by which culti vators may carry their produce to a market. Now, sir, we might as well meet here upon the threshold the question presented by this bill as to postpone it. I hope that this House in its osense will see that this is no time to subvert the settled policy of this Government, which has been to grant lands to railroad cor othereby increasing 50 or one hun red% or more the value of the land which the Government retains. I hope that this bill will receive the favorable consideration of the House at this time. Between Columbia river and Puget sound there is no navi gable river to bear the products of that country to a market. That region bears a rich growth of timber which may be made valuable if any means be afforded for bringing it to a market. At the present time, as I have said, that timber grows only to decay. There is no inducement to a State or a corporation to build at its own expense and without any consideration a railroad through the domain to enrich the Government. The argain proposed in this case is substantially similar to that in a case which I will suppose. You have a farm, unproductive and worthless, but which might be made productive if there were a stream of water flowing through it. I propose to carry through your land a rich stream of water, which shall irrigate and fructify it if you will give me a certain portion of the land; and by accepting my offer you double or perhaps quadruple value of your possessions. That is substantially the case here. By making the proposed grant of land to this company the Government does not give away one dollar, but, puts money into its Treasury and increases the wealth of the country. Sir, I hope that the motion to postpone this bill will not prevail. The conditions attached to the bill are precisely similar to those attached to a grant which has already been made to a railroad from California to Oregon. This road is a continuation of that same route; and although I and my constituents are not directly interested in this measure still we on the pay cific coast are indirectly interested in every railroad grant that may serve to develop the public wealth.