New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-12-17

pany has its chartered route complete from
Cairo to the Rio Grande, and this completes
the link which connects us with Canada
and the northeastern portion of our own
country. There is railroad built and in
operation connecting Houston with the
Brazos, and by completing the Opelousas
railroad to the Sabine river so as to con-
meet with the Houston road finished to that
point, we secure a connection with the
great southern line Of railway, which is
designed to stretch from the st. Lawrence
to the Pacific. This route, besides being
much the shortest, is confined 10 a mild
climate, and will traverse fertile country
unmolested by Indians. 1t will bring the
great cities of New York, New Orleans,
Mexico and San Francisco within few
days travel of each other, and lead many of
our people to make the trip to San Fran
cisco by the way Of the City of Mexico, to
revel in the halls of the Montezumas for a
day or two, and then pass on to the new
land of gold-to the city of San Francisco,
with its magnificent harbor which can not
be reached by water without passage
through its Golden Gate"
In connection with this grand plan of
uniting our country by system of railway
that will bring its distant parts closer to-
gether and cement our people as brother
hood not to be torn asunder for the
want of common interest or an "Ap-
plan way" that can be travelled
by all who delight in national
greatness, we make the following extract
from lengthy communication which ap-
peared in the Houston Telegraph of Decem-
Der 8, from the pen of Colonel W. H. Par
sons. 1t is cable and eloquent, and writ
ten in the right spirit. We regret that our
limited space will not permit us to publish
it in full. Speaking OF the great results
that will flow from the completion Of the
International Pacific Railway, Colonel Par
sons says:
Since the Mexican war the entire trade of
that nation has been diverted to Europe
direct. The connection from the city of
Mexico and San Bias with the international
route on the Rio Grande would not only
give the United States the trade and COM
merce of its $1,000 900 inhabitants, but the
development of its auriferous regions and
creddor de plata on the Sierra Madre stones.
pronounced half century since by Baron
Humboldt the most prolific mineral region
of the world), would develop untold wealth,
sufficient in one decade 10 liquidate the
national debt, and enable the nation to re-
sumo specie circulation without ruinous
contraction of values.
These extraordinary developments in the
great Southwest, the only occupied held for
railroad improvements at present In the
United States are exclusive of the ordinary
steady growth of business, wealth and reve-
nues, incident to railway extensions. The
most eminent railroad statistician in Eng.
land. R. W. Baxter, claims it as an axiom
that " the commerce of country increases
in direct proportion with the improvement
OF its railway system, and that railway de-
velopment is one OF the most powerful and
evident causes of tho increase of com.
merce.n He demonstrates that the railway
extension in.England from 1845 to 1865 has
doubled its trade every ten Years.
Within six years fron 1852. France having
guaranteed the government credit, doubled
her railroad extensions, more than doubled
her exports and imports; paid an average
On COobOA OF Ten Der
cent, and the government guarantee was
never needed. Such was the faith of Eng
land in the theory that production and com
merce increased IN precise ratio to railroad
extension that when cut off from American
cotton during our recent prolonged strug
gle, the credit of the government was
granted to private companies in India, and
nearly 5000 miles of railway was actually
constructed In that remote quarter of the
English possessions, at cost Of S44O, 900, 900.
Sixty-seven million dollars Is the extent
OF the Government credit extended to the
Union and Central Pacific, in the Uni ed
States. The Congress at Washington, could
emulate with profit the lavish expenditure
of England on her remote colonies, by ex-
tending the guarantee of her credit TO this |
colossal enterprise, as well AS the routes of
thirty-fve degrees and thirty-two degrees
to San Diego. The tremendous develop
ments, of production and commerce in
regions the most salubrious in climate. and
prolific In agricultural, pastoral and metal.
ic wealth on the globe, would not only bv |
l!s way freight and travel, as we'll as
through traffic, insure dividend unequaled
py any enterprise OF the continent, but as
we have demonstrated, cheapen the |
exchange Of production, North and
South, and 80, rapidly augment Ahe |
material prosperity and wealth Of
the nation, as to speedily relieve il If
lne INCUBUS Vi uAAoudl ueut, and solve the |
problems of onerous taxation and
Reputation. This aspect 81 tie |
question alone Should enlist the capital n |
the nation TO the support OF an interna-
tional enterprise, sustained BY government
guarantees, that would eclipse the brilliant
results of the home and colonial RAILWAY
Of Britain aud France.
This route taps Mexico at its center. in
stead of running as other proposed south
ern routes, on exclusive United States ter
ritory north of that Republic. Like the
faucit inserted In the lower, instead Of the
upper edge of the cask, this route would
thus drain the entire commerce Of Mexico,
which the others could not divert into re-
mesN and unnatural channels
h4l while It's commercial superiority, as
thus 4emonsifated, far transeending all
compc!e,lTe southern routes 10 the Pacific,
us nliiaalf advRntaeca over all others are
moi less marked. II would not only afford
tue means q eoncentraiiDg and m9intain-
ing force on tAe Indian border (Which Is
al that can be taidpf other routes) but this
strikes the cen1t n the boundary Of a
nelghbofiDg Repuh'Ia and moves sulF.
ciently near the whole eNslers coast al the
Gulf, TO insure the flofI-1a 81 rapid cor
centration TO repel foreign evasion. These
military considerations. whiNh cnn be saiR
Of 10 other route il any direcsstl anon the
continent are ofHuch 0rereAeInllnr CO.
segcY IS TO alone Justify the ptcz.6} and