New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-07

NEW PATH TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN,
1t is pleasant to note that, while Europe
trembles and quvers in the agonies OF war
and threatened wars, our American people are
quietly pushing our National enterprises in
every direction. The triumph OF American
genius and skill in the development of our
country's resources form an enviable record in
our National history. The building of the
present Pacific Railway was not only important
and memorable, but has been gain to the
Government. Is has been estimated that the
saving in transportation Of troops, mails, and
war materials, and the whole economy of the
service, as compared with the clumsy and ex-
pensive wagon and stage-coach methods, Is
great enough to compensate the Government
for its subsidies and endowments in lands and
bonds. This does not take into account the
social and political advantages of connected
railway communication between the great COM
monwealths of the Atlantic and the Pacific.
Our far-seeing philosophers, who prophesy
division of the republic into minor republics,
make no account in their calculations of the
railways and telegraphs. There are material
and indissolube bonds of union. New-YOrk
and San Francisco are as near in point of time
as New-York and Brooklyn, and as accessible
"a Boston and Savannah in the colonial days.
Every road across the continent is another ar
terry in the life of the Union.
For these reasOns--material as well as pOliti
cal-we are disposed to regard with special
favor the enterprise which has already been
submitted to the people by Jay Cooke g. Co.,
and which is known as the Northern Pacific
Railway. 1t is not merely railway enterprise,
for it has a national value, and comes to us
with unusual support. Mr.. Cooke himself is
so well known in America and Europe from his
success in the negotiation of our war bonds,
that his name has a prestige of uncommon
value, and gives the bonds a new assur-
ance, if such could be needed, of their
stability and solvency. 1t seems large sum to
raise-this hundred million of dollars. 1t is
no more stupendous and impossible than it
was to place Mr.. Chase's early loans, when
Wall-st. frOwned upon our credit, and com
PEELED the Secretary to hunt for purchaser
at every sacrifice. We have means enough to
build this road and to spare, and the duty of
accomplishing it is national and patriotic.
The Northern Pacific, as the scheme is pre-
sented by Mr.. Cooke, proposes to run from
traverse, for two thousand miles, Minnesota,
Dakota Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Wash
ington. 1t is endowed with land grant of
more than fifty millions of acres-the most
imperial endowment ever bestowed upon any
enterprise. The character of these lands may
be easily inferred from our knowledge of the
country. America has no fairer and richer
acres than those of Montana and Idaho. 1t is
the country of timber and minerals-Of wheat
bearing acres and streams. The temperature
il mild-so mild that the roses grow late in
the Winter in Oregon, the cattle roam over
the hills in Winter without shelter while We
read the other day that, while the snow had
stopped travel between Rochester and Buffalo,
there was regatta on Lake Superior between
the champion clubs of Duluth and its neigh
boring town.
The land grant aloue Of this railway. IL tho