New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-03-01

LII. LRAn InaC tno Efatulty In this case
will amount to $240OO 900. which we will
have to pay at the end of forty years. l
say nothing against the company, because
! have reason to believe that they are
large capitalists and intend to push for
ward this work. They have already nearly
accomplished the work of building road
to Mobile; l have cordially assisted
them in getting the aid which they did
at the last session, and am willing
to go further to assist them, but when
they ask three millions fat, without the
State receiving anything in return, except
the enhanced value of property. am not
willing to grant it. Now, Mr.. President,
in regard to the other features Of the bill,
say, some of the sections should be
striker out as Objectionable. l have read
over the bill hastily, as it passed the
House, and found that in some sections,
the Legislation placed the company en-
,tirely above the control of the State or the
Judiciary, in regard to privileges con-
ferred. These provisions may have been
stricken out. Now, as to the Morgan road,
as it is called, introduced the bill, known
as the Morgan bill, which Was referred to
the Committee on Railroads. I believe
that bill does not ask any aid from the
State at all. 1t asks some privileges in
regard to location, but asks no aid from
the State, either by endorsement of bonds,
or in the shape of gratuity, and we have
the assurances of Mr.. Morgan, that the
entire stock shall be taken within Ger.
tain time, and that the road will be built
Now, know nothing about Mr.. Morgan. I
Never saw the gentleman in my life nor have
/ converted with him. But the bill was
one that struck me proper to grant
the Company. 1t asks no aid or gratuity,
but merely asks charter and the right Of
way, Now, as to whether he can be re-
lied on or not; everybody seems to con.
slider that be is man of means, and has
the ability to do what he promises. Here
is bill that will give us, within the same
Houston, Texas, without any State aid.
should be willing to give Mr.. Morgan his
charter, and also aid this other company.
because they do not want to run the same
route. Competition is the life of trade; il
will be beneficial to the Texas trade to
have road built, and if We give charters
to both, one or the other will be finished
within reasonable time, but if we give il
to only one it will not. am not confined
to the fact that the gratuity granted is
upon the condition that the road shall be
completed within three years; know ex-
actly the condition, but do not think
that lit is just to give this gratuity,
because l believe the road will be
made within the same time without it
and, even if it were double the time
the interest of the State would seem to be
to give the aid in the proper way. There
fore, Mr.. President, hope this feature in
the bill will be stricken out entirely, and
if any aid is to be given at all, let it be ID
the way we agreed upon last session.
am not particular about referring it to q
committee, nor is it usual with an impor-
tant bill like this to refer, and would
prefer it. l have read this bill only once
and supposed it would go to committee
1t would then be thoroughly examined,
and, perhaps, amendments presented.
I say now, Mr.. President, that under no
circumstances will / vote for bill thai
gives gratuity to any con pany. ! vii
vote to aid any company in the shape d
Endorsement on State bonds, upon c0ndi-
ton that the interest is paid by the com
pany, but not to give it fat down. How
ever much l may myself be interested II
other enterprises of this kind, and l am
connected with one, we will not ask any
such gratuity. We may ask further aid, but
will not ask gratuity as long as l an
president.
Mr.. O'Hara: Mr.. President, now l wan
to know what is the motion before tht
Senate?
MIR. Lynch: Mr.. President, 1 rise to {
question of privilege. l have but Jew re
marks to make upon this bill. am ex'
ceedingly gratifed that the general tont
of the argument of the Senator show
that he, like myself, has made progress il
reference to this bill and that he doe
not oppose the bill from first to last
When first read the bill was opposed
to it as the Senator was; but, like myself
he has made progress, and now only OBJ
jects to the feature as to gratuity. will
say, sir, that upon examining this bill
when it first came to the attention of th'
Legislature, in the other House, was ex
ceedingly opposed to this feature. wa
opposed, also, to the feature of the bill
which gives what I thought excessive
rights on the levee in this city. l though
that it was proper for them to have prope
connections on the levee, but not such ex
cessive rights. There was an objectiona'
BILE feature in the bill there, and
struck that out. I went to worl
to see whether I could frame bill that
could support myself, so be prepared
to offer amendments whe came up.
next came to the feature In the bill whicl
I thought was establishing monopoly
and l am opposed to monopolies, and
hope we shall have other roads to Texas
The next point was the subsidy which
thought was Objectionable; but consider
ing it all through, and not believing tina
the principle was wrong, was anxious t.
have it as small as possible, and yet no
too small. 1 then received assurance
from the friends of this bill, that sugges
tons, coming from any one would not b.
resisted by the friends of the bill. theI
decided to support it, and [ stand her
tonight to support that bill in that shape
but if this amendment is stricken out,
pledge myself to resist it to the bitter end
if these Objectionable feature are no
stricken 3out, agree entirely with tn
Senator who has just taken his seat, that
road of this kind, large enterprise of thi
kind, costing not less than eighteen mil
lions of dollars, is matter not to be look
ed upon to affect any particular portion Q
the State. 1t affects the whole State
Not a dollar of State money has be
used so far, and four millions have bee,
expended. I say it as fact, not as a
opinion, that four millions have been ey
pended, and not bond of the State ha
been issued, not bond sold, nothing ha
been asked, although the road will 500
be finished between here and Mobile
The road when completed will have cos
about civ y,oi1Iiopc