Re: UP the Public Trough

1) Govt. land grants were akin to giving you a chunk of the surface of the moon today. Worthless unless you can figure out a way to get to it and develop it. The US Govt was hardly in a position to do it, only private enterprise could get the resources. Yes I know some were crooks, but overall look how the whole country benefited.
2) Land grants had other string attached such as carrying US Govt. traffic at 1/2 rates. Because of all the huge volume of traffic in WWI and WWII, Land Grants were considered "paid in full" by the US Congress after WWII by law.
3) Try and put a GM or Apple Computer logo on something you sell for $ and see how long you avoid court. Copyright and trademark laws are very clear on this. Look on the Internet. There are lots of people making Star Trek, Batman and other fan-films. They make it very clear they’re doing it for free so as to not get in trouble with the film studios. RR's are behind the rest of corporate world on this. It may seem like nit picking, but trademark protection is very important to most.