New-York tribune., 1869-01-20


Ia lSSo....... 5G,tO2il In lsO0..-...- 100 O3jJoO'
The Eric Canal, begun in 1871 after seven years of
agitation aud bitter opposition Tas a greater work
for that day than the building of three Pacific rail-
ways for this aud it seemed TO be less required by
the commerce of the country Even far-seeing
Thomas jefferson declared that 1t was -inaugurated
years too soon. But the great of the city
and the state of NewYorl1 dates from the commence
meRt of that work. When it completed in 1925
the commerce between New-York city and the lakes
and across the Alleghanies both ways, amounted to
only 1900 tuns annually Now the commerce on the
Erie Canal and the four great lines Of railway be-
tween our Northern Atlantic seaboard and the Ohio
Valley exceeds every year 6.0OOOOO of tuns, worth
s2O0O00OO0 The opening of three great lines to the
Pacific will produce growth equally wonderful. If
work IS begun Immediately upon a Northern and q
Southern road they cannot be completed before 1S75
when our population will bo 47OO0C00
8. A single line LOO miles long. and the most i'm
pOrtant in the whole Union, is liable to become an
oppressive monopoly and dangerous power in the
business and legislation Of the country. The build
ing of more roads will produce a healthy competi-
ton, like that which now exists between the several
lines crossing the Aleghanies, and thus keep down
puces to the lowest paying point; and the diverse
and conflicting interests will make each check and
balance upon all the Others.
Should the GOUcrRmcRt help 5aiM hem7 l urge that
II should.
l. Private capital alone cannot build them for the
present All our important lines have received pub
Tic assistance from cities counties or States, which
they expected to benefit. And nothing is more
fully settled by experience than that in nine
out of ten, where State municipal aid is extended
10 the construction Of railroads tho invest
ment brings rich and multiplied returns Three
Pacific railways will benefit the entire country aad
the entire country should help build them.
q With us. endowlng railways is yet an expert
ment but all the leading European nations have
demonstrated its wisdom and Importance. For years
Great Britain France, Austria Holland, Spain, Portu-
gal, Belgium, and Italy. have been constructing not
single roads but systems and networks of roads
through Government aid and in every single instance
with the most obvious and substantial benefits.
Great Britain has guaranteed the interest S440-
100000 for railways in India alone, and probably on
$G00O0O0O in Canada, thus extending to two of her
distant colonies four times much help as
the whole amount from the beginning. asked from
our Government TO secure the completion Of
three roads to the Pacific. Yet her expenditures
for interest now incOnsderable, and they
decrease year by year the roads grow sefsustan-
ing. BY a similar policy little Belgium has secured
commercial importance utterly dispropOrtionate TO
her territorial And by aiding in the construc-
ton or extension of six trunk lines Louis Napoleon
has gained for France growth and prosperity un-
equaed in her history.
Mr. Window of Minnesota, in his recent speech IN
the House of Representatives. document abound
ing in carefullyprepared statiscsgives these sug-
gestiye figures
GREAT BmTAS.-Public debt to each inhabitant
$50 40; standing army five times large as ours
railways constructed in India since 1SGO under Gov
eTnment guarantees of interest 1900 miles.
FRANCE-Public debt 10 each persoD sJgGI stand