The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1869-01-27
4 Pacific Road South a Military Necessity.

4 Pacific Road South Military Necessity
II is well known, says the Round Table, that not
outstanding bis guarded reticence, Gen. Grant has
freely expressed himself in regard to public expend
lures that he is determined, 50 far as he bring
about upon the most rigid economy. Heis certainly
opposed to all jobs. He wants the railroads and
legees aud rivers and harbors to take of them
selves, and to let the Government alone That in
these views he will be opposed by nearly all the great
Republican niagnates, who all Or nearly all,
| mited to or more great schemes that need and
are intriguing for the national aid ~ have no
doubt but all this is true and hence, before seeing the
statement of the Round Table having sufficient evil
dence indeed from other sources, come TO the
clusion that we could not, with any hope of success,
apply for Congressional aid for Southern to the
Pacific at the present time. With concert of ac-
ton, without agreed point OF Starting for com
mon or trunk line, each and every projected route
would appear aobber in its own interest andas the
open or disguised foe Of each and every other route
Such beggarly competition for favor would We are
sure bring all the proposed routes and their represen
tatives into deserved dsrePnte. Now, while we sin
cerely hope, Gen Grant viii enforce the most rigid
economy aud will say, to all obbers for petty schemes
pretending to be grand enterprises, proeul procul
ofa,si I" we are confident his military WILL at
once accept the policy Of Congressional aid, to a
single Southern route to the Pacific, as military
necessity. We believe he would favor, ard largely
favor any route that would combine the requirements
of great military, well as great commercial high
way. Take for instance the proposed international
route, composed Of various link routes, commencing
Cairo crossing the Arkansas river at Little Rock
the Red river at Fulton Tor Shreveport, better still for
the argpmen1 AMI running south just by the Brazos
branch that river and to Comargo on the San
Juan n few miles above It's Junction with the Rio
Grande,) and thence to San Bias or Mazatan on the
Pacific, and you touch every objective point aimed
at by the Federal Government during the late war,
and near the head Of navigation Of all the navigabe
streams crossed by the road. Would not this be
national and military road2 Inthe event of a war
with Mexico we could land our whole army on her
borders before she could throw regiment for de-
fence from her interior States. Nor would it be less
advantageous to against an enemy attacking these
States from the Gulf of Mexico. But wedo not pro-
pose to discuss the question Of military necessity
That was demonstrated long ago by Mr. Davis when
Secretary of War. We believe Gen Grant, military
man. would take the same view as Jefferson Davis did
What we are to avoid is the prejudice resulting from
iobbng competitions and what we ought to work for,
is cooperation an eKesptionsbie plan Of action.
We think convention il the fttes mode Of express
ing The popular wi! on the subject Can not agree
1Eso I'M