Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-12-09

freSlaeRt fraley In the chair.
The Leyees.
The Committee on the Mississippi Levees
made report, earnestly requesting Con.
gress to aid, as far as practicable, all proper
efforts OF States lying adjacent to the Mis-
sissippi river, TO protect their lands from in
undaton, and secure the permanent i'm
provements OF its navigation and levees.
Mr.. thompson, of Dubuque, moved an
amendment, requesting Congress to make
an appropriation for the purpose OF irvesti-
| eating the subject, but, on objection, with
drew 1t, and the original report was then
unanimously adopted.
Another Pacific Road.
The following resolution, introduced at
the last annual meeting, was then takenup
and discussed.
Whereas, another Pacific Railroad is I'm
| paratively demanded, to produce a health
ftll competition whereby rates on freight
and travel may be reduced and greater ac-
commocations secured for the public:
Resolved, that the Executive Committee
be Instructed to memorialize Congress to
grant such liberal subsidies and other need
ed legislation as will secure the earliest pos
sible construction of a National Central
Pacific Railroad TO San Diego and San
Francisco.
Railroads for Everybody.
B. R. Benner, Of St. Louis, offered the
following amendment:
Said road to be built by the United States
government of double track, and on which
every one shall be permitted to draw his
trains, whether as an individual or an in
corporated enterprise, under similar con-
ditions as lines of boats are allowed to
navigate the canals of the country, taxing
the tonnage passing over at a sufficient toll
to maintain the road bed in perfect order.
MIR. Benner advocated the amendment in
an able and lengthy speech. The plan pro-
posed he said is that the government shall
build railroad from the Mississippi river
TO the Pacific Ocean, to be Of double track
and Of steel rails, built in the most substan-
tial manner, furnished with station houses
and water facilities. On this road bed,
ample for the accommodation of thousands
of trains; every one who chooses may en-
ter upon the business of transportation sub
ject only to such rules, restrictions and sti-
pulations as shall be prescribed by Congress
or Government superintendent, the ton
mage passing over it to be charged toll
only sufficient to keep the roadbed in the
most perfect order. The work of construc
ton and supply of material to be let to the
lowest responsible bidders and contractors
to receive in payment Government bonds at
par. AS soon as the road is opened, the
public lands along its line TO be brought in
to market at the lowest practicable rates to
actual settlers, the proceeds of which shall
be sacredly pledged to the retirement of the
construction bonds. By this mode of con-
struction the Government is informed in ad-
vance Of the exact expenditure required.
There are no Government employees save
the chief engineer and his assistants.
Mr.. Busby, Of Philadelphia, hailed with
satisfaction the new departure by the gen.
tleman from st. Louis, Mr.. Bonner. He
believed that the government, in the direc-
ton Of these railroads, exercises q power
properly vested in itself, and which, in its
magnitude, can with safety be invested in
nobody else. To give definiteness to the
proposition, he submitted an amendment,
that the government shall not build more
than certain length Of road in any one
year, to be determined by the amount of
sales of public lands adjacent to the propos-
ed line, and 10 bear a certain rate to those
sales. 49,
Universal Confederation.
Mr.. Edward Atkinson, of Boston, argued
against the proposition in a strain Of quiet
and effective irony. He found one great
objection to the enterprise, that it started
from the center, and proposed an amend
ment that "Whereas, justice TO the whole
country demands such liberal legislation as
shall give every town and city in the United
States railroad connection with such main
line, to be conducted by the Government in
the same manner as the main line, and sub
ject to the same conditions and regulations,
except that towns of less than five hundred
inhabitants shall be satisfied with single
track" Laughter and hisses.1
The amendment Of Mr.. Busby was lost.
Why not Go into the Wholesale
Clothing Business?
George Opdyke, of New York, objected
to the enterprise on the ground that it would
inure solely to the benefit of those who
live along the line of the road, and those
who have occasion to use it, who were fresh
immigrants, and not to the welfare of the
whole country. It would be a competing
line with those roads built by private enter
prise, assisted by the government, and would
ruin absolutely every dollar of private capt.
tai invested in railroads in the United States.
The proposition was as monstrous as for the
government to manufacture all the cotton
cloth used in the United States.
The measure was also discuss ed by
HoltOn Of Milwaukee, Welsh of Cinci nnati,
Wetherill of Philadelphia, Seeley of Mary
land, McNeal Of Cincinnati, and others.
Mr.. Monroe of Dubuque, said that for
all railroads incorporated under the laws of
the United States they had remedy. If
the roads were inclined to abuse their
powers, it Is in the power of Congress to
govern and regulate their mode of opera
tion and charges, and the Legislatures of
the several States have the same power over |
roads within their limits.
Cook of Cincinnati, moved to continue |
the subject until the next annual meeting.
Mr.. Jefferson, of St. Louis, was op-
posed to the proposition as not practicable,
and he thought they could dispose of it |
now. The government was the last body |
he would expect to do thing on economic |
principles. 1t is synonymous with extrava-
gance to delegate to the government the |
of any building in the country. |
The danger of monopoly, he believed, was |
greater in the hands ofthe government than |
if the road was owned by private individu- |
ais, and there was to-day a sufficient pro-
lection from monopoly in the competition |
between the different railroad lines.
Mr.. Bonner responded in behalf Of the !
arguing that the road was built |
and equipped and owned by the people, and |
shoald be placed under the control of Con- |
gress, which was the people. He believed |
this was too great matter to be decided on
a hasty consideration, and was willing that !
it should be continued until the next meet |
ing.
The debate closed, and the whole subject |
was indefinitely postponed.
Nashville.
A communication was received inviting
the Board to hold its next meeting in Nash
vile, Tenn, which was referred to the Ex-
ecutive Council.
Inland Communication.
The resolution on inland water commu-
introduced at the last session, was
postponed until next year.
The Board then took up the proposition
of the Dubuque Board of Trade, asking the
assistance Of Congress in the completion of
a northern water line from the Mississippi
river to the Atlantic ocean, along the Wis
consin and Fox rivers route, through the
lakes and around the falls of Niagara.
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