New-York tribune., 1869-01-15
PACIFIC RAILWAYS.

The gentlemen VINO insist upon adult0nal
legislation in behalf of the Pacific Railroad
schemes do not properly meet the question.
Mr. Window, in a recent speech, quotes Gen.
Grant as saying, "The completion of these
"roads will go FAR toward the permanent set
tlement of our Indian affairs" He quotes
Gen. Sherman as regarding the Kansas Pacific
Road military necessity" and believes, on
authority of Gen. Sheridan, that its compile
ton will "almost substantially end our Indian
Z" "troubles" In addition to the evidence of
these distinguished men, Mr.. Window lauds
the policy of England in loaning S440,000,000
for the construction of railroads in India and
the policy of France in giving credit for do
mestic railroads to the amount of SG20,00O,000.
We do not fancy these illustrations. The build
ing of railroads through country like India
is a different business from constructing rail
roads to the Pacific. India is a vast and densely
populated empire, with great cities, with
necessity for INSTRUMENTATION greater than
exists in any European nation. 1t would be
almost impossible to build railroad from one
point in India to another without developing
Immediately vast business. In India the sup
ply follows the demand; in America the de-
mand follows the supply. The policy of France
should not be quoted as an example for the
United States. 1t is q bad argument which
brings the Capitalization ideas of the Emperor
Napoleon into an American Congress. Fit is wise
to accept the doctrine which gives $6200O0,0O
to the building of French railroads, then 1T is
wise to follow the policy which makes Paris
France, and brings France under the guns of
a garrison and the control Of the Home Depart
ment.
Passing from these considerations, however,
which merely affect the illustrations of Mr.. Win
doms argument, we have other cardinal objec-
tions to Pacific Railroad enterprises at this time
In the first place, the Government of the United
States should give its immediate attention TO
the outstanding of its resources. a farmer may
say to himself, Z" i should like to buy the farm
" that adjOins me- and make my estate more
complete - or, " | should like to add another
"building to my house and have a library and
"billiard room" or, 81 should like to change
"my horses and get a better pair" 1t is the
tendency of all men and of all nations to gain as
much strength and as much comfort and con-
venience as the use of money can give
them. The prudent man, however, will
override any suggestion which adds to
his estate at the expense of his income
Now, Gems. Grant, Sherman, and Sheridan,
and the large body of distinguished men
who are quoted by Mr. Window, may
look earnestly for the time when we shall
have q Pacific Railroad in the North as well
as a Pacific Railroad in the South. We share
in that wish most earnestly, but just now we
must put our house in order. We are spend
ing great sums of money in payment of debts
contracted at high rate of interest. We see
our civil service in state of Generalization,
and millions Of dollars squandered which
| should be paid into the Treasury. To think
of giving subsidies for any purpose, would
be as absurd as it would be for private
business man to borrow money upon mortgage
at high interest and spend it contracting new
| obligations.
| This is our first objection: our second is, we
do not feel satisfied with what has already been
done with our money. We made liberal bar
| gain with the Union Pacific Railroad Company,
at a time when we really knew nothing of what
we were doing. The gentlemen who had
charge of that franchise quietly organized
another inside company calling itself the
Credit Mobilicr, and that company took the
contract for building the road. They obtained