Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1853-04-13
suggested by Col Benton is briefly given be

suggested by Col. Benton is brlehy given ue-
low:
"My idea is, that the road should be built
by the United States by he creation of stock,
hypothecated upon the public lands, and pay.
able at fixed period at the Federal Treasury;
and that an adequate force should be put upon
it to do the work at once We think nothing
Of levying an army of fifty or an hundred thou
sand men for war: here is an object of more
moment to the United States and to.the WORLD
than many wars; and | should be in favor Of
seeing an army of labOrers employed upon II at
once, and the work done in seven years instead
Of bidding at it for lifetime. And why not?
We can have the money and the men; and on
a line of 1900 miles there would be room for
50 900 men to work without elbOwing each
other. 1t would only be forty men to the nile.
The redemption system would give the money
and the setllera-the right kind Of settlers
men who would defend themselves from lndi-
ans, and raise provisions for the supply Of the
road, and occupy it on both sides, and from
one end % the other, the first season they were
allowed to do so. The Indian title should be
extinguished on a breadth of fifty to an hun
bred miles and a mile reserved for the differ
ent tracks of raj roads, and for a common road,
and for Geographic lines. 1t is a work for pos
terity, and for three continents; and We should
elevate ourselves to the grandeur Of the occa
sion.
81 deem all schemes OF making this road by
a mixture of public and private means; giving
lands or money to companies to make it, and
! then let them own it; conveying for the United
States gratis, and doubling upon the people to
make it up; getting, in addition to their other
profits, interest upon the cost of construction.
and which cost was defrsyed by the United
States; and all this WED with monopoly
of the road; deem all such schemes to be iun.
damentally "nwise, unjust to the community,
impolilic. and vicious. | hold that the United
States should build the road and the fixtures
and let out the use of it for periods of or s
years TO contractors. who will carry all freight,
public and private, and all passengers, indivd-
ual and governmental. at the same rate the
lowest responsible bidder to take the contract
and furnish his own cars and run them: and If
under bid, at the end of his time, or supercc-
ded, the successor to take all his stock at val.
uatiou.'
This central route found warm advocates in
both Benton and Fremont while they were in
Congress but upon their retirement from Wash
ington, other schemes ysurped the public at
tention. But now that the venerable statesman
has again been elected to Congress as Repre-.
sentative, he seems determined to have the sub
jet fully and fairly understood.
As to the nationality of this work, it must be
as in ali other cases, Judged from its object and
unqucstionable results. And none can fail Ia
perceive herein. unirerSality of advantage and
benefit. The commerce and travel which are
to support it, and eventually transform the en-
tire extent of country through which it passes
into the smiling abode of prosperity, are not
confined to st Louis and San Francisco or Mis-
souri, and California. 1t will be trade and ira.
vel between the Atlantic anC. Pacific: between
the old continent Of Europe and the magnificent
| empires Of Asia; commercial union whose
healthfnl influence shall course through every
vein of the Republic, not gushing with unna-
tural exuberance in one section, and stagnating
in another.